 |
UK Imprisons Nigerians for Certificate Forgery |
Four members of a Nigerian gang have been sentenced to prison in the UK for forging 2,000 marriage certificates, which allowed individuals to live in the UK illegally.
Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, and Adekunle Kabir received a combined sentence of 13 years after their hearing at Woolwich Crown Court in London on Tuesday.
Between March 2019 and May 2023, the defendants conspired to submit fraudulent applications to the EU Settlement Scheme. They provided fake Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documents to support the applications of Nigerian nationals seeking to remain in the UK.
An investigation led by Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigators, in collaboration with Home Office International Operations based in Lagos, uncovered more than 2,000 forged marriage documents.
"This group was extremely prolific in their attempts to exploit our borders and have rightly been brought to justice. As with many gangs we encounter, their primary motive was financial gain. I am pleased that my team was able to disrupt their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a deterrent to other 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," said Home Office chief immigration officer, Paul Moran.
Onifade and Shodipo were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud. Kabir was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception. Gbadamosi was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation.
