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Four Nigerians have been jailed after forging more than 2,000 marriage certificates to help people live in the United Kingdom illegally.
Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, were all sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in London on Tuesday, Sky News reports.
The Home Office said the four were part of an organised criminal syndicate that made fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals.
The defendants implemented this through the provision of false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation aimed at helping applicants remain in the country.
Investigations showed that they executed this enterprise between March 2019 and May 2019.
With the UK prosecution having closed its case, the court found Onifade and Shodipo guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK while conspiring to provide articles used in fraud. They were sentenced to six years and five years of imprisonment, respectively.
Gbadamosi was jailed for six years for deception and fraud by false representation while Kabir was jailed for six months after being found guilty of possessing an identity document with improper intention to deceive.
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Paul Moran, the Home Office Chief Immigration Officer, reacted to the conviction, saying that the group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse UK borders, adding that they 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,” he assured.
