Matthew Apau Obeng & Adeyoye Adeyemi

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Two respondents practising as Matthew Wokeson & Co faced seven allegations relating to poor accounts, an overdrawn client account, and a series of suspicious conveyancing transactions (sub-sales with large uplifts, directly-paid deposits, failure to control purchase monies, non-disclosure to lender clients, a failed undertaking, dealing with a bogus firm, and inadequate supervision by an RFL). All allegations were found substantiated. Neither respondent attended. The Tribunal found no express dishonesty but serious misconduct causing major lender losses. The First Respondent was indefinitely suspended from practice as a solicitor and the Second Respondent indefinitely suspended from the Register of Foreign Lawyers, with joint and several costs of £34,800 not to be enforced without leave.

Duties found breached:

• No conflict between current clients
• No improper use of client money
• Accounting records, reconciliation and reports
• Supervise staff and delegated work
• Honour professional undertakings

Aggravating factors:

• Substantial financial losses to lender clients exceeding £5,830,000 advanced in sample transactions
• Pending claims against the compensation fund estimated at £15-16 million
• Member of public lost £12,000 deposit on Westwell Road
• First Respondent was founding partner and sole holder of mandate to operate the client account
• Mortgage advance balance paid to FMH Ltd, a company owned/controlled by First Respondent, without lender authority
• Second Respondent knew he should not be conducting conveyancing but pressed on regardless
• Respondents absented themselves from hearing without explanation and provided no remorse

Mitigating factors:

• First Respondent was a relatively inexperienced solicitor
• First Respondent was not solely responsible for what occurred
• No previous disciplinary sanctions
• Cash shortage was created in error (duplicated SDLT payment) and rectified within days
• Second Respondent apologised for transgressing supervision rules