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Abbas Lakha QC

Called 1984 Inner Temple; Silk 2003
		Related resources: The FSA and Insider Dealing

Abbas Lakha QC is noted in Chambers and Partners as “highly recommended for cases involving complex fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking and murder. He focuses largely on defence, and recently handled R v Aabid Khan, the case where the defendant had information about the Royal Family alongside instructions on how to kill 'non-believers'.” He is licensed to receive instruction direct from members of the public.
 
Notable Cases
 
Fraud 
 
Abbas Lakha’s fraud practice encompasses asset forfeiture and restraint, VAT, duty diversion, revenue, advance fee, MTIC, insider dealing and mortgage frauds. He regularly advises City and Financial Institutions on their statutory obligations including compliance with money laundering provisions, protection from fraud and insider trading investigations.
 
Operation Inertia - Kingston Crown Court. An allegation of large scale Contra Trading.
R v Akhtar Hussain - Leeds Crown Court. Prosecution application for confiscation order in the sum of £127 million successfully resisted post R. v. May, House of Lords 2008.
Operation Cruise - Canterbury Crown Court. An allegation large scale MTIC fraud.
Operation Fastback - Newcastle Crown Court. An allegation of large scale MTIC fraud.
R v Solazzo – Wood Green Crown Court. A Landfill Tax Credit Fraud.
The Jubilee Line Fraud – CCC.
Operation Galleon – Southwark Crown Court. A £48 million pounds VAT Fraud.
Operation Abetted - A £40 million pound heroin importation.
R v Sewell and R v. Dowell - London City Bond appeals and abuse hearing resulting in a successful stay of Prosecution.
Operation Greyhound – CCC. A CIB3 investigation into corruption in the police force.
Operation Methuselah – Southwark Crown Court. A £20 million VAT and money laundering prosecution.

Terrorism
 
R v Aabid Khan – CCC transferred to Blackfriars Crown Court. Defendant had information about the Royal Family alongside instructions on how to kill "non-believers" (June 2008).
R v Dara – High Court. Represented appellant who appealed against extradition to Germany. The German authorities had alleged that, aided by a German agent, the appellant had obtained and unlawfully exported three items with the intention of using them to develop nuclear weapons in his native Pakistan.
R v Safi and others – CCC. The Afghan Hijack case at Stansted Airport.
R v M – Southwark Crown Court. The prosecution of an Al Qaeeda suspect under the Terrorism Act 2000.
R v F & others – CCC. Briefed to defend in The Ricin Case. Defendant alleged to have been part of an Algerian Terrorist cell based in London linked to Al Qaeeda.
R v B & others – CCC.  An International FBI investigation into global arms sales.
R v K & others - Briefed to defend an alleged Al Qaeeda operative accused of Conspiracy to murder in the UK.

Other Crime
 
R v Watt - murder victim was kept as a slave and tortured for his benefit money before being killed.

R v AS - allegation of handling substantial consignments of stolen mobile phones - Prosecution offered no evidence as a result of failing to make proper disclosure
R v Daud Ahmed – Sheffield Crown Court. Defendant charged with assisting an offender in the disposal of the murder weapon (sawn-off shotgun). Defendant acquitted on the assisting charge (August 2009).
R v Maninder Kohli – Winchester Crown Court. Leading counsel in the Hannnah Foster murder trial, the defendant being the first ever Indian national to be extradited from India to the UK (October 08).
R v John Kalu – CCC. Two bouncers accused of killing a reveller who was refused entry to a nightclub. Defendant found not guilty of murder (May 2008).
R v Nagra – Coventry Crown Court. An allegation of sexual abuse against a step grand daughter. Stayed on the grounds of abuse of process through failures in relation to disclosure and the duty to investigate with an open mind  (December 07).
R v Gill - Allegation of historical abuse against step daughter. Stayed on the grounds of abuse of process due to delay and manipulation of the court process (June 2008).
'A Juryman's Tale' trial - The Kidnapping and Blackmail of a Greek Shipping magnate.
Operation Undulating - A substantial Columbian Cocaine conspiracy;
The Rettendon Murders appeal hearing.
R v Khan – Leeds Crown Court. A murder trial arising from drugs related gang warfare.

VAT Tribunals
 
IA Associates v HMRC – claim by Applicant for return of disallowed VAT reclaims.
 
Appointments

Appointed by the DTI to investigate insider dealing.
Formerly a member of the Prosecuting Panel for the Bar Council's Professional Conduct Committee.
Co-opted member of the Criminal Bar Association's working party on the Auld Report.
Co-opted member of the Criminal Bar Association’s fees committee – heads the Bar’s VHCC Sub Group.

Professional Membership

Criminal Bar Association.
European Criminal Bar Association.
International Criminal Defence Attorneys Association.
Society of Asian Lawyers.

Languages

Gujerati, Swahili.

Interests

Modern architecture, cars, work.

Personal

Born in Kenya, educated at Stowe, married with 3 children.