A money launderer who took part in Britain's biggest ever NHS wages scam was jailed for nine months this week.

Pitan Osunkoya, 30, of Greenhaven Drive, Thamesmead, admitted letting his bank account to be used to collect part of almost £600,000 in salaries to "ghost" hospital employees.

Joseph Oduguwa, the mastermind behind the scheme was jailed for three years on Thursday.

The 44-year-old Nigerian and his lover Joy Henry, 47, a hospital manager, wired the money to non-existent employees.

The fraudster fled to his homeland and was on the run for almost three years before finally giving himself up at Heathrow Airport in October last year.

Oduguwa was the brains behind the swindle which saw Henry pay out more than £585,000 over almost four years.

Southwark Crown Court heard checks at Kings College Hospital, in Denmark Hill, Camberwell, where Henry worked, were so lax she was able to invent ghost employees, pay them and take a large cut of their salaries.

One was Oduguwa himself, who received more than £70,000 in fake wages from the Trust.

In total, Oduguwa defrauded £192,000 from the taxpayer, sending much of it home to Nigeria where he promised Henry they would live in luxury.

Henry, a senior manager at the hospital, had access to the pay-roll computer.

She set up false accounts into which she paid monthly wages to people who had nothing to do with the hospital.

The bogus workers then kept the cash safe for a fee.

Oduguwa, a building surveyor, became one of Scotland Yard's 'most wanted' when he skipped the country.

Kerim Fuad, Henry's barrister, said Henry had been played "like a puppet" by a "notorious and accomplished con-master".

He said: "Miss Henry''s troubles started when she met and fell in love with Joseph Oduguwa.

"He was the driving force in this fraud and is one of the most illusive criminals this country has ever had the misfortune to welcome to its shores.

"The suave and charming master crook used Henry's doe-eyed love to make her act in a way completely alien to her character.

"It could be said she loved unwisely but perhaps too well."

Oduguwa claimed it was he who had been taken in by Henry.

Henry, of South Norwood, was jailed for four years at an earlier hearing after admitting one count of conspiracy to defraud.

Oduguwa admitted the same charge.

Judge Christopher Hardy told him: "There is no doubt you were right at the centre of this conspiracy.

"The only thing that differentiates you from Joy Henry is that she betrayed the trust put in her by the hospital trust for which she worked.

"This was a thoroughly dishonest scheme that deprived the public of very important funds.

"Such frauds are becoming more and more prevalent in his country and a message needs to be sent out that those who perpetrate these offences will be severely punished.

"Only an immediate and substantial term of imprisonment is appropriate in your case."

Odugawa's sentencing brings an end to an investigation led by The Met's Public Sector Fraud Team.

Elizabeth Adekunle, 40, Olukemi Hassan, 39, and Kehinde Oworu, 50, were all jailed for a year last year for letting their bank accounts be used to collect wages earned by "ghost" employees.

Adekunle, of Springfield Grove, Charlton, Hassan, of Reigate Road, Grove Park, and minicab driver Oworu, of Clapham, were convicted of assisting another to retain the benefits of criminal conduct between February 2000 and February, 2003.

Fellow money launderers graphic designer Adenwunmi Ogundimu, 44, of Regent's Park, and father of three Onyechi Amobi, 34, Luton, were all given nine months imprisonment after they admitted the same charges.

Detective Constable Chris Andrew, of The Met's Public Sector Fraud Team said: "These people were taking money for themselves directly from the NHS funds to fuel their own greed.

"They were led by Joy Henry who abused her position of authority."