A British-Nigerian national has been sentenced to jail time for fixing marriages so that the bride or groom might acquire UK spouse visas.
Thirty-seven-year-old Ola Kukute attempted to arrange several false marriages in London for a Nigerian student. The goal of the weddings was for the student to acquire a UK spouse visa, for which Mr Kukute would be paid cash in return for arranging the services.
His official crime is conspiracy to facilitate a sham marriage and he has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
The UK immigration authorities are also seeking to remove his British citizenship and deport him from the country once he has served his sentence.
Ray Swan, of the UK Border Agency north and east London criminal and financial team, commented: “Be warned, entering into a sham marriage does not automatically give you UK citizenship. The UK Border Agency will not tolerate immigration abuse, and we are cracking down on sham marriages all over the country.
“As the sentence handed out today shows, those who seek to cheat immigration laws will be brought to justice.”
Bindaya Dalal, a 26-year-old British woman who was effectively a bride at a number of these weddings, admitted to the charge of conspiracy to facilitate a sham marriage and has been sentenced to two, three-month sentences, both of which have been suspended for 12 months, while she has also been ordered to do 120 hours unpaid community service.