Kids Company boss was 'sinned against like King Lear': Camila Batmanghelidjh insists she was victim of myths about her role during the charity's demise, court hears
The founder of Kids Company was ‘like King Lear’ because she was ‘sinned against rather than sinner’ over the charity’s collapse, a court heard yesterday.
Camila Batmanghelidjh denies being an ‘overbearing despot’ and is instead the victim of myths about her role during the charity’s demise, her barrister told the High Court.
Rupert Butler insisted it was untrue that Miss Batmanghelidjh ‘ran Kids Company as her own personal fiefdom’ and she did not take a ‘threatening and bullying’ tone with staff during meetings.
The allegations came at a High Court hearing claiming Miss Batmanghelidjh should be banned from being company directors for repeated failures to act to stop the charity's collapse
It came on the second day of a case brought by the Official Receiver – who is arguing that Miss Batmanghelidjh, along with seven former senior employees, should be banned from being company directors after Kids Company’s collapse in August 2015. The charity helped troubled children in south London.
It is alleged its directors were repeatedly warned about the financial crisis facing Kids Company – but failed to correct the ‘unsustainable business model’ in which it put ‘spending ahead of its income’.
The case includes allegations that Miss Batmanghelidjh was ‘too dominant’ which made oversight of her performance and spending decisions difficult.
She is said to have begged former PM David Cameron to bail out the charity by quadrupling Government funding (pictured together)
But Mr Butler said there was little substance underpinning the allegations.
Referring to his client and her co-defendants, he added: ‘They are like King Lear – they are sinned against rather than sinners. This is a set of proceedings that should not be taking place.’
He denied Miss Batmanghelidjh was an ‘overbearing despot’ and added his client had always been ‘open and frank’ about the charity’s spending as ‘the trustees knew what was going on and approved’.
Miss Batmanghelidjh and the other seven defendants deny the allegations and do not believe they should be banned from being company directors.
The hearing is expected to last nine weeks.