FOUR members of a gang, who forged more than 2,000 marriage certificates that allowed people to live in the UK illegally, have been sentenced to 13-year prison terms.
According to www.telegraph.co.uk, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, Adekunle Kabir, 54, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, and 38-year-old Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, reportedly made fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals between March 2019 and May last year.
It was gathered that the gang members provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to support the applications of the nationals to help them remain in the country.
More than 2,000 false marriage documents were uncovered by Home Office during investigation both domestically and with its international operations based in Lagos, Nigeria.
In an official statement, the Home Office said Onifade, from Gravesend, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.
CrimesChroniclerslearnt that Gbadamosi was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation.
Kabir, on the other hand, was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception.
On Tuesday, Onifade was sentenced to six years imprisonment and Shodipo was jailed for five years at the same court.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was also sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment while Kabir, from London, was jailed for nine months.
Home Office chief immigration officer Paul 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.”
