FIVE men arrested on the day of a sham wedding in West Yorkshire were jailed today for their parts in a marriage scam designed to help Nigerian immigrants stay in the UK.
The men earlier pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to a range of charges concerning sham marriages between Nigerians and Europeans.

The scam was exposed after registrars and members of the clergy in West Yorkshire became suspicious of the number of applications for such marriages and contacted police.

Two women, from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, who were planning to take part in sham marriages to two Nigerian men, walked free from court today after admitting their parts in the conspiracy.

Czech Veronika Horvathove and Slovak Lucia Koncekova were handed 12-month jail sentences, suspended for two years, and were each ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid work after admitting conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

Horvathove, 21, of St Leonard's Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, also pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a false identity document and was handed a concurrent 16-week sentence.

Sentencing all the defendants, Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, said: "Earlier this year, the seven of you, and other people, carried out an assault on the controls of immigration in this country.

"The method you used was to arrange sham marriages between African nationals and European nationals.

"These were not marriages of convenience but were completely bogus marriages in which the European nationals pretended to be people other than who they really were, in some instances so did the Nigerians among you.

"Fortunately, the representatives of the Anglican church, who you attempted to deceive, were alive to the possibility of such frauds and so they alerted the police."

Judge Collier continued: "When you came across to Yorkshire to go through these ceremonies of marriage, the police swooped on you and arrested you."

The court heard the group exploited a loophole in regulations which require foreigners to obtain a certificate of approval to marry in the UK, except for Church of England marriages.

They avoided the need to have banns read out publicly in churches by applying for a common licence from the diocese registrar.

During meetings with the registrar, and other members of the clergy, those involved posed as other people, produced forged identity documents, including passports and proof of address, gave false addresses and swore affidavits to the truth of their statements.

The judge said there were mitigating features for each of the defendants.

"Many of you are, basically decent people. You came to this country at different times and for different reasons. Whilst here, you've worked hard, looked after your families and tried to better yourselves," he said.

"But unfortunately, a number of you had no right to be here or to remain here and so, when you heard of this scam, you were prepared to pay about £2,000 or more to try and obtain status to stay here and you've been described as the customers of this scam.

"Others of you, particularly you, Veronika Horvathove, and you, Lucia Koncekova, were the ones who were offering yourselves, again in return for reward, to provide that status by going through the ceremonies of marriage."

Nigerian Peter Abbey, 27, of Silverdale Road, Bradford, was arrested in a car on his way to his wedding to Koncekova, 25, in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, on July 20.

He was being driven by Adeola Orobiyi, 27, of Lilley Lane, Manchester, who was described as being a "central figure" in the conspiracy and "heavily involved" in the making of arrangements.

Nigerian Orobiyi provided false documents and passports and transported those who intended to marry to various meetings with registrars and the clergy.

Abbey, who had given a false name, was jailed for 12 months today after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a false passport and an offence of perjury by taking a false oath in relation to the false marriage ceremony.

Orobiyi was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail after admitting conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and the possession of a false passport with intent.

Koncekova was arrested the next month.

Horvathove and her 25-year-old partner Denis Baiger, also a Czech national, were both arrested in the vicinity of St Philip and St James Church, in Scholes, West Yorkshire, on the same day.

She was posing as another woman with the intention of marrying Nigerian Adesola Adewole, 29, of Fram Street, Manchester, who was also arrested.

Adewole was posing as his Nigerian cousin Richard Okunade, 35, of Bowfield Walk, Manchester, who decided he could not go through with the ceremony. Okunade was also arrested near the church.

The Nigerian men, some of whom were classed as "over-stayers" in the UK, hoped to be granted the right to live and work in Britain by marrying the European women.

Baiger was jailed for a total of four-and-a-half years after he admitted conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and a separate charge of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Okunade was jailed for 12 months after admitting conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and Adewole was also handed a 12-month sentence after pleading guilty to two offences of possession of false documents and one of perjury.

The court heard that one sham marriage had taken place and another five were due to go ahead. It was unclear whether two further marriages had taken place.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Powell, regional head of the UK Border Agency's immigration crime team, said: "This was a serious attempt to facilitate illegal entry into the UK for a number of individuals by a well-organised criminal network.

"Once again, we would send out the message to those who seek to engage in immigration-related crime - this team poses a major threat to crime groups and will continue to target them and bring them to justice."

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Five-jailed-in-Leeds-over.5933048.jp

I rest my case.

These familiar names again.

^^^^bleep  u  Mekusss xxxx . lol. you kill me man.lol hahahahaha 

mekusxxx:

These familiar names again.

Guy, hit the nail on the head. These are Yoruba names.

Hmmm
Interesting

mekusxxx:

These familiar names again.

abeg go siddon jor
assuming they were ibo names, said they were actually yoruba people pretending to be ibo

dominique:

abeg go siddon jor
assuming they were ibo names, said they were actually yoruba people pretending to be ibo

Even when no names were mentioned (by me)? Is this guilty conscience?

Were they Igbo names, I would make the same comment. I am the only one here known to bash every one, ethnicity notwithstanding. Stop getting defensive; you no send them to do sham marriage, or did you?

Topic

Very good news. . .

Lock them all up, fraudsters!!!

Oboma1:


Guy, hit the nail on the head. These are Yoruba names.

Hit the nail on whose head?

MrCrackles:

Topic

Very good news. . .

Lock them all up, fraudsters!!!

No, kill them all up

mekusxxx:

Even when no names were mentioned (by me)? Is this guilty conscience?

Were they Igbo names, I would make the same comment. I am the only one here known to bash every one, ethnicity notwithstanding.

oh please, anyone that is even vaguely familiar with the politics section knows you and jona are the undisputed chief tribalists in the section.

Stop getting defensive; you no send them to do sham marriage, or did you?

i will never condone such, but i wont link it to tribe either.

mama-gee:

Hit the nail on whose head?

its a figure of speech

dominique:

oh please, anyone that is even vaguely familiar with the politics section knows you and jona are the undisputed chief tribalists in the section.

i will never condone such, but i wont link it to tribe either.

its a figure of speech

And who linked it to tribe? Me?

Read me here https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-364771.0.html

My g/mom is from Ngwa, the same place I lambasted there. That is the true me.

Again, stop getting touchy on a non-issue. It will prolong your life.

dominique:



its a figure of speech

Like, I didn't know that.

dominique:

oh please, anyone that is even vaguely familiar with the politics section knows you and jona are the undisputed chief tribalists in the section.

Add tpia and OPCman to your list.

^^^^^

And also (add) dominique, for running like a hare to defend crooks probably because they are from his neck of the wood. If those names were Swahili, he will probably not come to their defense. Hypocrits and parasites

mekusxxx:

^^^^^

And also (add) dominique, for running like a hare to defend crooks probably because they are from his neck of the wood. If those names were Swahili, he will probably not come to their defense. Hypocrits and parasites

at times i wonder if you think before you post.
at what point did i defend the culprits, please feel free to quote me on exactly what i said to buttress your point.
weather  you blast your grandmother's tribe is no business of mine. it only goes to show how bitter you are at the world in general.

Aloy.Emeka:

Add tpia and OPCman to your list.

ok. also earthmama _{(BTW i've not seen her in a while)}

dominique:

at times i wonder if you think before you post.
at what point did i defend the culprits, please feel free to quote me on exactly what i said to buttress your point.
weather you blast your grandmother's tribe is no business of mine. it only goes to show how bitter you are at the world in general.

ok. also earthmama _{(BTW i've not seen her in a while)}

You will always look for a word for me. ''Tribalist'', and when I show evidence of the opposite, I become ''bitter man in general''. Hahahah! Too many grammarians on NL

I rest my case.

which case u dey rest sef. . .

dominique:


ok. also earthmama _{(BTW i've not seen her in a while)}

aka aloy emeka


yes, s/he's a s.hemale

fake marriage everywhere