For producing more than 2,000 fictitious marriage certificates that allowed Nigerian nationals to reside in the UK unlawfully, four Nigerian gang members received sentences totaling 13 years in prison.
The Home Office claimed that between March 2019 and May of last year, four individuals—Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41; Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38; Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31; and Adekunle Kabir, 54—made false applications for Nigerian nationals under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, and Adekunle Kabir were all found guilty and given sentences at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday, according to the foreign news outlet Evening Standard. The severity of their crimes was reflected in the punishments, which ranged from nine months to six years.
The news portal claims that the gang supported the applications of Nigerian individuals hoping to stay in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme using fictitious Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent papers.
Over 2,000 forged marriage certificates were found during a combined investigation by the Home Office and its foreign operations, which are headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
Both Onifade and Shodipo were found guilty of conspiring to furnish products used in fraud as well as to assist unlawful entrance into the UK.
While Kabir was found guilty of possessing an identity document with unlawful intent but was exonerated of acquiring leave to remain via deceit, Gbadamosi was found guilty of obtaining leave to remain through fraud and deception.
Onifade, a resident of Gravesend, received a six-year prison sentence, while Shodipo, a resident of Manchester, received a five-year sentence at the same court on Tuesday.
Bolton resident Gbadamosi received an 18-month prison sentence, while London resident Kabir received a nine-month sentence.
Paul Moran, the top immigration officer at the Home Office, celebrated the convictions as a major win and threatened to prosecute gangs who take advantage of weak people for personal gain.
Moran said: “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.
“As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money”.
