Ex-councillor guilty of running sham Covid-19 testing lab

A former councillor has been convicted for operating a fraudulent coronavirus testing laboratory during the Covid-19 crisis. Faisal Shoukat, who once served on Calderdale Council, faced charges of causing public nuisance, engaging in fraudulent trading, and money laundering. These charges were upheld following a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Alongside Shoukat, four other individuals were tried but ultimately acquitted. These included former justice minister Shahid Malik, Lynn Connell, Paul Moore, and Dr. Alexander Zarneh. The jury was discharged in April when one member was arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice, leading to the verdicts being delivered by His Honour Judge Chris Smith.

Judge Smith highlighted a series of “systemic failures” within the company, RT Diagnostics, which Shoukat managed daily. He emphasized that the primary focus appeared to be on profit rather than professionalism and public safety, stating, “Put simply, profit was put before professionalism and public safety.” RT Diagnostics had been established in March 2021, with both Shoukat and Malik listed as directors. The company was set up after the government called on private firms to aid with the increasing demand for Covid-19 testing, including ‘Fit-to-Fly’ tests.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the test kits—sourced from Turkey—did not meet UK standards. The laboratory reported a suspiciously low number of positive Covid-19 cases, with just 45 positives out of 138,738 tests conducted between May and July 2021. Additionally, video footage published in July showed the laboratory in a poor state, with rubbish scattered around and conditions likened to a building site. Medical safety inspectors confirmed that parts of the site resembled a living space and criticized the lax approach the company took toward obtaining necessary accreditation. Judge Smith pointed out that RT Diagnostics’ testing and reporting systems were “profoundly flawed,” noting instances where samples appeared never to have been tested.

Customers faced numerous issues, including receiving test kits in unsealed packaging and not obtaining results at all. One example described a customer initially being told they and their spouse tested positive, only to later receive an email indicating negative results. Despite operating for only two months, the company garnered predominantly negative feedback, with nearly 80% of its 1,218 Trustpilot reviews giving just one star.

During the trial, Shoukat, a pharmacist by profession, revealed that he received approximately £1.5 million in shares from RT Diagnostics. Shahid Malik, though acquitted, was also reported to have earned a similar amount as a co-director; however, the court heard that Malik did not take part in running the business daily and spent part of the company’s operation period living abroad. Along with Malik, Lynn Connell, Paul Moore, and Dr. Alexander Zarneh were all found not guilty of causing public nuisance and fraudulent trading

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