School’s ex-bursar and human resources manager are believed to be have been taken in for questioning

TWO people arrested in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds at a secondary school have been bailed.

Detectives investigating financial irregularities at Copland Community School in Cecil Avenue, Wembley, arrested a 51-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman yesterday morning (Thursday).

The arrested pair, believed to be Columbus Odokoro and Michelle Bishop, the school’s former bursar and human resources manager, respectively, were questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.

Both have been released on bail to return to a police station in September.

Last week, detectives probing bonus payments of up to �1.6million among senior staff at Copland arrested Sir Alan Davies, 64, the school’s former headmaster, and 53-year-old Dr Richards Evans, ex-deputy headmaster, on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.

Dr Evans’s 50-year-old wife Lesley who also worked at the school was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and theft.

All three were also later bailed to return to a police station in September.

In 2009, Sir Alan, Dr Evans, Mr Odokoro and Ms Bishop, were all suspended from their posts by Brent Council after Hank Roberts, a geography teacher at the school, blew the whistle on the payments by handing over a compelling dossier to Labour MP Ed Balls, the then Schools Secretary.

Mr Balls went on to sack the school’s governors board and replaced them with an Interim Executive Board (IEB).

Sir Alan, Mr Odokoro and Ms Bishop all resigned from their posts before a disciplinary hearing by the IEB took place.

Dr Evans failed to attend his hearing and was sacked by the IEB in his absence.