Ex-cop lawyer on £23,000 fraud rap
Solicitor faces more charges
A former chairperson of the Scottish Police Muslim Association has been accused of embezzling £ 23,000 from the organisation.
Asma Ali, 36, allegedly committed the crime at Glasgow’s Maryhill police office as well as banks in London and Edinburgh between March 2017 and June 2019.
It is claimed the total sum taken by the qualified lawyer, the first female chair of the SPMA, was £23,081.27.
She faces a separate fraud charge at the Scottish Police Credit Union on July 29, 2019.
It is stated that Ali pretended to an employee that she was not subject to an agreement with creditors to repay debts that were in arrears.
Court papers claim Ali went on to induce the credit union to pay a loan of £500 under false pretences.
A further charge states that Ali made a similar claim to the Scottish Police Credit Union on August 5, 2019, in a bid to receive £2000 by fraud.
A final charge claims Ali carried out a similar act to attempt to obtain £1000 by fraud from the credit union on December 1, 2019.
Ali, whose bail address was given as Police Scotland’s professional standards department, pled not guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week.
Alan Rodgers, defending, asked that the matter be adjourned because Ali has no legal aid.
He said: “The trouble was she applied for legal aid some time ago and it was rejected as she was employed but suspended on full pay.
“Late last year she left that job and I dealt with the settlement of agreement. She is now unemployed and in receipt of Universal Credit.
“I seek to launch a new legal aid application and, after funding, the defence can prepare. It is unfortunate that this has not been done before.”
P r o s e c u t o r Ha n na h Terrance did not oppose the motion to adjourn and stated there is disclosure sti l l outstanding.
Sheriff Gerard Considine granted the motion and set a further hearing in May.
Ali’s bail was continued in the meantime.
She has worked as a solicitor for Police Scotland having first started with the old Strathclyde force in 2007.
She was appointed chair of the SPMA in December 2016 and was the first woman in the role.
She was one of the founding members of the organisation.
Ali was prev iously the branch co- ordinator for the Islamic Society of Britain in Glasgow.