A civil service agency worker who blew £18,000 on calls to a church in Nigeria using a Cabinet Office phone has been spared jail. Alessandra Akiwowo made over 1,100 calls during and after her time as a contractor in the Race Disparity Unit, where she worked twice between 2020 and 2021, contributing to a race report setup in the wake of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests.

The 43-year-old from Romford, who now lives in Ipswich, was employed at the Civil Service through recruitment agency Allen Lane, working there from August 2020 to March 2021 and June 2021 to September 2021. On request, she was given an iPhone SE and laptop, along with a policy telling her to limit personal calls and not to call abroad, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard on Thursday, May 9.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/romford-worker-blew-18k-on-calls-to-nigerian-church-using-taxpayer-funded-phone/ar-BB1m6Ejh?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=9199e9d1ed864a2baee05f030d3f7b7e&ei=18