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UKBA Probe Nets Sham Marriage Vicar Date: Thursday, January 26, 2012 |
A disgraced vicar who presided over more than 20 sham marriages is starting a prison sentence following an investigation by the UK Border Agency. Bolton Crown Court was told how John Magumba, priest at St Peter’s, St Mary’s and St Luke’s churches in Rochdale had conducted ceremonies to help non EU-citizens in their bids for UK residency – as well as stealing from church funds. He had already pleaded guilty conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law by a non-EU person and two counts of theft by an employee and was handed down a two-and-a-half year tariff for his behaviour. The Crown Prosecution Service was also granted a £6,000 confiscation order. The court heard how the vicar had conducted marriages between Nigerian and EU nationals between 2007 and 2010 to help the Africans gain long-term residency. UK Border Agency investigators found he had flouted rules under the Marriage Act as well as ignoring church regulations and practices about weddings. He failed to conform to rules about marriage banns, did not keep accurate records of the weddings and the marriage certificates and conducted ceremonies in secret without the knowledge of the other clergy at the churches. Magumba also admitted theft of £8,345 by keeping money that was paid to him for weddings and other services which he was not authorised to keep. Fran Gough, Senior Crown Prosecutor from CPS North West Area Complex Casework Unit said Magumba had flouted both the law and church regulations. She added: “His dishonesty in effectively plundering church funds is also difficult to believe in someone whom others looked to for moral guidance. “Working closely with officers from the UK Border Agency we have been able to present a strong case against Magumba detailing his abuse of church rules and marriage law, which left him with little option but to plead guilty to the charges.”
Courtesy of SecurityOracle.com - The Secury Industry's Portal |