Man denies £12,400 scam as fake lawyer

AN Oldham man has denied posing as a solicitor to dupe African immigrants out of thousands of pounds.

Muneed Rahman (31), of Salisbury Road, Oldham, took £12,400 from four families by promising to help them enter the UK, it is claimed.

He allegedly said he was a solicitor and told them he would pass on their visa applications to the Home Office - before pocketing the cash and taking their passports.

Rahman spoke only to deny four counts of fraud and a further four counts of theft during a brief hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday. He was bailed ahead of the trial fixed for June 9.