London solicitor challenges new writ

LONDON solicitor Hemamali Graham has been hit by another writ from a former client who claims she is holding US$95,000 and his passport, allegedly lodged with her last year in support of a visa application.

Graham, who was recently sentenced to six months imprisonment after being successfully convicted of attempting to obtain property by deception, was last month awarded a 12-month conditional discharge by the Court of Appeal after it decided that her sentence was overly harsh.

She has now returned to her sole practice, Graham's Solicitors, which was established last year following the dissolution of her former partnership Graham Peries & Co.

The writ, issued by Bolt Burdon solicitor Graham Balchin, involves Graham's Solicitors which allegedly took up the file of DareAdepoju Adesina following the closure of Graham Peries.

The writ also claims that Graham, together with her former business partner Indrani Peries, owe Adesina a further US$69,979 as a result of an order made in Shoreditch County Court earlier this year.

Balchin has also made an application to the Law Society for a certificate of deposit interest due to Adesina.

The application allegedly relates to money held by Graham for use in connection with a property purchase.

Graham, who received the writ last week, strongly denies the allegations and says she has notified the police about the case.

"It is a total lie that there was any money paid to this firm and I have reported the matter to the police," Graham says.