London — Civil Servant Accused of Juggling Five Jobs Testifies

A civil servant on trial in London, United Kingdom, told jurors he "wasn't thinking straight" when he applied for a government post while already working four other jobs, according to the BBC. Kashim Chowdhury, 55, of east London, faces nine counts of fraud and denies acting dishonestly or intending to gain dishonestly, the broadcaster reported.

What did Chowdhury tell the court?

Chowdhury testified that he was "in a panic" when he filled out an application for a role at the Department of Health and Social Care without declaring that he was already employed at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the BBC reported. "I was not paying attention, I was not thinking straight," he told the jury, according to the broadcaster.

How many jobs did he allegedly hold at once?

Prosecutors said that in the spring of 2023 Chowdhury was simultaneously employed by Defra, the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Home Office, the BBC reported. The jury was told he was contracted to work 183 hours a week across those roles — more hours than exist in seven days, according to the broadcaster. The prosecution said each post paid a full-time wage and that Chowdhury was paid £11,000 for a single month's work in 2023, the BBC reported.

What does the prosecution allege?

Prosecutors allege Chowdhury "exploited" remote-working arrangements that took hold during the Covid-19 pandemic to conceal his overlapping employment, and that he used sick leave from some employers to manage the workload, according to the BBC. The broadcaster also reported that the prosecution's case includes allegations, detailed in earlier hearings, that Chowdhury faked illness using make-up to avoid detection. Prosecutors further allege he told employers he was the sole carer for his elderly mother and that he "exploited this opportunity" to maintain the arrangement, the BBC reported.

What is Chowdhury's defense?

Chowdhury told the court he had not wanted several of the roles, including those at the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office. "I sent out a flurry of these applications. The offers for these jobs came all at once," he told the jury, according to the BBC. He said he raised concerns with line managers about not wanting the positions and described them as short-term and probationary. Chowdhury testified that his mother's health "deteriorated" around May and June 2022, saying, "That overwhelmed me at the time. It just destroyed me," the broadcaster reported. He described the jobs as a "lifeline" that gave him "a link to the outside world" during a difficult period of caregiving.

What happens next in the trial?

The case continues, the BBC reported, with Chowdhury's testimony ongoing before the jury weighs the nine fraud counts against him.

What to watch

• Whether prosecutors present further detail on the alleged use of sick leave and make-up to conceal multiple roles.
• Cross-examination of Chowdhury on the timeline of his mother's illness relative to the job applications.
• Any ruling or verdict on the nine counts of fraud once testimony concludes.

For the full account, see the original BBC News report.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.