Paul Ifeanyi Okafor Izezulu

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

This was an application by Paul Ifeanyi Okafor Iwezulu to terminate a restriction imposed on him by the Tribunal on 2 February 2016 (when he was reprimanded and restricted from practising as a sole practitioner/partner/member of an LLP/LDP/ABS for breaches of Principles 8 and 10 relating to failure to supervise staff and control firm finances, arising from a fraud perpetrated by clients of his former firm). The 2016 Tribunal had found no departure from the required standard of integrity and that he was as much a victim of the fraud as others. The SRA was neutral on the application and had itself lifted its own practising certificate condition on 31 January 2020. The Tribunal found the Applicant genuine, remorseful and posing no risk to the public, having complied with the restriction for four years, and granted the application to remove the restriction. The Applicant was ordered to pay the SRA's costs of £1,235.

Mitigating factors:

• Applicant was a victim of a carefully planned fraud and had no active role in the misconduct
• Full co-operation with the SRA
• Demonstrated remorse and insight
• Complied fully with the restriction for four years with no issues arising
• SRA had already lifted its own practising certificate condition
• Positive references including from current employer
• Engaged in continuing professional development
• Intended to work only as an employee
• Had paid all SRA costs from the 2016 hearing