A four-member Nigerian crime gang has been handed a combined 13-year prison sentence for their role in forging over 2,000 marriage certificates, enabling individuals to live in the UK illegally.
According to the Evening Standard, the group—consisting of Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54—used fraudulent documents to support EU Settlement Scheme applications from Nigerian nationals between March 2019 and May of last year.
The Home Office’s investigation, which included international efforts based in Lagos, Nigeria, uncovered the extensive use of false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates among other fraudulent papers.
Onifade and Shodipo were convicted of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry and conspiracy to supply fraudulent documents at Woolwich Crown Court. Gbadamosi faced charges of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, while Kabir was found guilty of possessing an identity document with improper intention.
Sentences were handed down as follows: Onifade received six years, Shodipo was given five years, Gbadamosi was sentenced to 18 months, and Kabir received nine months.
Paul Moran, Chief Immigration Officer at the Home Office, commented, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on gangs exploiting vulnerable individuals.”