Four Nigerian individuals have been sentenced to a combined total of 13 years imprisonment for their roles in producing over 2,000 fraudulent marriage certificates, which facilitated illegal residence for Nigerian citizens in the UK.
Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41; Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38; Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31; and Adekunle Kabir, 54, were involved in submitting false EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals between March 2019 and May of the previous year, according to the Home Office.
As reported by the Evening Standard on Tuesday, the four defendants were convicted and sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court. Their sentences varied from nine months to six years, reflecting the gravity of their offenses.
The gang supplied counterfeit Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other bogus documents to support applications from Nigerian citizens seeking to stay in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme.
A joint investigation by the Home Office and its international operations team in Lagos, Nigeria, uncovered more than 2,000 fake marriage documents.
Onifade and Shodipo were convicted of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to supply articles used in fraud. Gbadamosi was found guilty of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, while Kabir was convicted of possessing an identity document with improper intent but was acquitted of obtaining leave to remain by deception.
Onifade, from Gravesend, received a six-year prison sentence, and Shodipo, from Manchester, was sentenced to five years. Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was sentenced to 18 months, and Kabir, from London, was given a nine-month sentence.
Paul Moran, chief immigration officer at the Home Office, praised the convictions as a major achievement and emphasized that gangs exploiting vulnerable individuals for financial gain will face justice. Moran stated, “This group was exceptionally prolific in their efforts to abuse our borders and have rightly been held accountable. As with many criminal networks we address, their primary motive was financial gain. I am pleased that my team intercepted their activities, and I hope these sentences will deter other unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK. We remain committed to safeguarding our borders and combating those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit.”
