Ex-councillor 'convinced witnesses to lie' over 'fraudulent claim for pizza business grant'
Wolverhampton Council's former cabinet member for the economy co-opted his wife to apply for a fraudulent Covid business grant and then persuaded several witnesses to lie for him, a court heard.
Former Councillor Harman Banger and his wife Neena Kumari are both appealing a conviction of fraud by false representation over a £10,000 application made for a pizza business during the first lockdown in 2020.
Closing the prosecution case, Daniel Oscroft told Birmingham Crown Court: "Harman Banger is the kind of person to co-opt his wife to fraudulently claim for a grant and then co-opt other defence witnesses to provide misleading evidence about the business.
"When they were interviewed by police they gave no comment, instead they waited for the prosecution case to be made and then tailored evidence around that case.
"The evidence by defence witnesses fits around the prosecution case rather than rebut it."
The case centres around whether Kumari ran a takeaway food business, Pizza Plus, from a premises in The Orchard, Bilston.
Mr Oscroft said: "A council worker was unable to deliver a letter to the premises because it was boarded up and the local police officer who would pass The Orchard on his beat never remembers seeing it open."
He added: "The premises was filthy, had fliers from years before and had unopened letters. A business was not run from the premises."
However, Banger's defence barrister, claimed the prosecution had not proved Pizza Plus did not operate as a trading business which was eligible for the £10,000 Covid grant.
Michael Goodwin KC said: "The prosecution have been firing empty blanks and hoping mud sticks. Where is the prosecution evidence which undermines the defence witnesses.
"The prosecution say all the evidence is false because it does not fit to their case."
Felicia Davy, representing Kumari, said: "It was not a perfectly run business, she has been honest about this, but it was a business. She has given you truthful and honest evidence that there was a business.
"She was in an occupation and she was eligible for rate relief therefore she was eligible for the business grant. She applied for the grant honestly.
"She should not be found guilty of this serious charge."
Banger, 41, and his 39-year-old wife Neena Kumari - both of Bilston Road, Wolverhampton - are appealing against their convictions of fraud by false representation from December last year.
Judge Peter Carr, alongside two justices, will deliberate the evidence on Wednesday and will deliver his verdict on Thursday morning.
