Man ‘said he lived with blaze family to claim £80,000’

AN ALLEGED fraudster claimed to be living with a family killed in the Grenfell Tower fire to swindle more £80,000, a court was told.

Sharife Elwhabe, 37, is accused of falsely claiming £72,586.60 for hotel stays and withdrawing £10,000 in cash from a pre-paid credit card given to victims.

He yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charges and claims he was staying with his aunt and uncle in Flat 182, on the 21st floor.

The El Wahabi family, a married couple and their three young children, perished in the flat during the fire on June 14 last year.

Elwhabe appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with one count of fraud between June 13, 2017, and June 8 this year.

Before being asked to enter a plea he shouted from the dock, saying: ‘I didn’t defraud anyone, I was staying at 182, I’m not guilty.’

But Charles Shelton, prosecuting, told the court: ‘He presented himself as a resident of the flat. The rehousing costs as of May 29 were £72,586.60. In addition some people were given pre-paid cards to assist with expenses. In this case there was something like £10,730 used on the card with various cash withdrawals. In total the fraud is in the region of £80,000.’

Richard Jefferies, defending, said: ‘It’s not my case that it’s a distant relative, it’s talking about staying with his aunt and uncle.

‘He’s very strongly part of the Ladbroke Grove area and people after the fire were very concerned to see where he was.

‘My client wishes to clear his name. This would be a significant stain against his character.’

District Judge Dervinder Kaur Sandhu remanded Elwhabe in custody. He will appear at Isleworth Crown Court on July 23.

Five people have so far been convicted for fraudulently claiming they survived the tower blaze.