A college principal has been ordered to pay back more than £200,000 of undeclared income tax on properties in Lewisham and Bromley or face jail time.

Macdonald Abamba, 57, of Westway, Carshalton has been ordered to repay the sum plus penalties, which tots up to £283,886.47, within three months or face three years behind bars.

An investigation revealed he had hidden income from 10 properties he rented out in Lewisham, Bromley and Croydon between April 1997 and April 2012, equating to £216,260 in unpaid tax.

He then used the money to buy more properties in the UK and Dubai and land in Ghana and Nigeria.

John Cooper, Assistant Director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said: “The majority of us pay the tax that’s due, when it’s due and it is unfair that people like Abamba think they have the right to steal money that is needed to fund vital public services.

“This man clearly knew what he was doing and continued anyway.

“He now has a criminal record, has ruined his reputation and must rightfully repay the money he stole, plus interest, within three months or face real jail time.”

The school head was given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 in costs on Tuesday (February 9).

If he fails to pay the £283,886.47 in full within three months he will face a default sentence of three years.

Mr Abamba rented out properties in addition to his day-job as principal of the School of Computing and Business Studies.

None of the rental income from these properties was declared to HMRC, which began an investigation into Mr Abamba’s tax affairs after he ignored a chance to pay what he owed in full alongside any interest and penalties due.