Civil Servant on Trial Admits Mistakes Juggling Five Government Jobs

A civil servant accused of fraudulently earning more than £284,000 by juggling multiple public sector roles has admitted to making mistakes, telling a jury he was overwhelmed and stressed. Kashim Chowdhury, a 55-year-old from east London, is currently on trial at Southwark Crown Court facing nine counts of fraud, though he denies acting dishonestly or intending to make a dishonest gain.

Civil servant faces trial over multiple government jobs

During his testimony, BBC News reports that Kashim Chowdhury told the court he felt terror and panic at the thought of losing his livelihood and described the positions as a lifeline during a difficult period when his mother’s health declined. He stated that he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2015, which was triggered again in 2021.

The prosecution alleges that Chowdhury failed to reveal to his employers that he held other full-time employment. However, the defendant countered that some of his managers knew about his work elsewhere. According to his testimony, staff and managers across several departments—including the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, East London NHS Trust, and the Department for Health and Social Care—were aware he had jobs in other places.

Contracted hours exceeded total hours in a week

At the height of the alleged deceit in the spring of 2023, Chowdhury held five full-time roles simultaneously across government bodies. These included positions with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the UK Health Security Agency, the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Home Office. The jury was told that he was contracted to work a staggering 183 hours a week, which exceeds the total number of hours available in a standard seven-day week.

Each role paid a full-time wage, with Chowdhury earning £11,000 for a single month of work in 2023. The prosecution argues that he was able to manage the overlapping positions because he worked entirely remotely, allegedly exploiting his status as the sole carer for his elderly mother to maintain the secrecy.

Performance criticism and unusual allegations

A succession of line managers testified that Chowdhury performed poorly in his duties. Abigail Mounde, a manager at the Department for Business and Trade, previously told the court that basic tasks were either submitted late or fell below expected standards. Chowdhury rejected all criticism regarding his work performance.

The trial also heard unusual details regarding sick notes and video calls. Prosecutors alleged Chowdhury used sick notes citing mixed anxiety and depressive disorder for some employers while continuing to work for others. Additionally, a manager at the Health Security Agency described a video call where Chowdhury appeared wearing white makeup that allegedly began to rub off during the session. The trial at Southwark Crown Court continues.

Source: Civil servant admits he 'made mistakes' juggling five government jobs (source-feed timestamp 2026-10-21T15:58:05+00:00). AI-assisted report based on the cited linked article and its RSS feed; details were not independently verified.