Zimbabwean woman accused of £35,000 fake benefit claims

A WOMAN accused of claiming more than £35,000 in benefits using a false passport said she thought she had "leave to remain" in the UK.

Grace Jinjika, of Flatford Place, Kidlington, denied eight charges this week at Oxford Crown Court.

She is accused of cheating the public revenue by claiming £33,393 in benefits between May 2005 and December 2012, and a further £2,131 between March and October 2013.

Jinjika also denies four charges of dishonestly producing or allowing to be produced false documents to claim benefits.

A jury heard that the 37-year-old was given a visa to say she could stay in the UK for six months when she arrived from Zimbabwe in 2000.

But prosecutor Naomi Perry said she bought a new passport with a forged Home Office letter for £1,000 from a person she said was a lawyer.

Under questioning from defence barrister Richard Mohabir Friday Jinjika said she thought paying the money granted her "indefinite leave to remain".

Mohabir asked whether she thought there was anything suspicious.

Jinjika said: "No I didn't have any reason to check, I thought she was a solicitor."