A “DISHONEST” law lecturer at Aberystwyth University’s much-maligned Mauritius campus has been struck off by a tribunal for a “catalogue of breaches” which “amounted to a masterclass in failure to comply with the basic requirements of practice as a solicitor”.

Rajesh Babajee, 46, was struck off the register by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in April and has since resigned his post at the Mauritius campus, which he has held since it opened last year.

The university told the Cambrian News that when it employed Babajee, it was not aware of the allegations against him, but added that “due diligence” had been carried out.

The tribunal upheld nine of 12 allegations against Babajee, including “misappropriating” clients’ money and charging “incredible and unrealistic” fees.

The hearing heard that some of the allegations dated back to before 2009, when Babajee worked as a sole practitioner at Benn Cameron Solicitors in Tooting, south London.

He later worked at Lambeth Solicitors in Brixton before leaving in 2012.

His last known address was in Ilford, Essex.

The tribunal, at the hearing in London on 20 April, described conveyancing fees of £28,000, charged by Babajee for the sale of a property for £155,000, as “incredible and unrealistic”.

Babajee was not present at the tribunal and made no submissions in mitigation.

Babajee, who could not be contacted for comment, had been a lecturer at Aberystwyth University’s Mauritius campus since its opening in October last year.

See this week’s Aberystwyth edition for the full story, in shops and online now