Lefi Siatta > Chambers of Sally O’Neill and Michael Holland KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Lefi Siatta

Position

Called 1992

Career

Lefi is an experienced leading junior barrister with an exclusive defence based practice. She has been extensively instructed to defend in a broad spectrum of cases involving serious crime.

Lefi has a particular interest and expertise in financial crime. She is regularly instructed to defend in varied and diverse fraud cases ranging from banking, mortgage, boiler room fraud (shares & rare diamonds), MTIC carousels, advance fee fraud, tax and VAT fraud, insider dealing and money laundering.

Lefi has the ability to work efficiently through substantial volumes of evidence and has a keen forensic mind when distilling the issues of relevance concerning her client’s case always seeking ways in which to break down the opposing evidence. Her strategic planning in assessing the evidence ensures that all permutations in the progression and presentation of the case are carefully considered in order that unforeseen events are eliminated.

Lefi has an extensive track record and has been instructed in a large number of intricate and high profile murder cases. She has expertise in dealing with joint enterprise issues and vulnerable defendants and witnesses.

Lefi represented the main defendant in the case of R v Nasri. This case involved a number of defendants who were involved in the alleged contract killing arranged by Mr Nasri on his wife, Nisha, a Metropolitan Special Constable. The killing was arranged in order to claim life insurance and allow Mr Nasri to live with his new prostitute girlfriend. This murder was examined by Crimewatch and received substantial media coverage.

Another much publicised case in which Lefi appeared in was R v Johnston. This concerned the murder of Mr Amar who had suffered fatal head injuries after being assaulted in his home. Mr Amar, whilst still alive, was buried in a one ton gravel sack and covered in sand and then placed in a van and removed from the scene. The police happened to stop the van and spoke to the driver and two passengers, who were his sons, by the roadside – one of whom was Mr Johnson. It took approximately 45 minutes before the police realised there was a dying man in a bag in the back of the van.  For details of other murder cases of instruction, see the “ Notable Cases section”

Lefi has appeared in numerous rape and sexual assault cases involving both vulnerable defendants and witnesses. These cases range from stranger rape, date rape, gang rape and historical sex abuse. In R v James PriceLefi successfully secured the acquittal of an elderly man with low IQ charged with multiple rapes.

Other areas of expertise include serious drug trials involving substantial kilo seizures of class A and B drugs and cases of firearms with intent to endanger life. In R vKabangeleLefi secured the acquittal of a lady who was in possession of a number of firearms and was running the complicated and difficult defence of duress.

Lefi has been instructed in voluminous and high profile county lines drugs cases concerning  organised crime groups where the focus is on gangs and criminal networks. Drug distribution systems are set up where criminal networks funnel hard drugs from cities and rural regions across the country. In R v Robert Allisonshe represented a soldier that was at the time of the indictment a First Battalion Grenadier Guard and a soldier in the British Army.

Lefi has been described by those who have worked closely with her as a “real fighter” and a competitive and formidable opponent with excellent judgement . She has the ability to communicate effectively and sympathetically with clients from all backgrounds and a reputation for hard work and meticulous preparation.

Lefi always maintains an excellent relationship with both her professional and lay clients and is seriously committed to the defence of all of her clients.