Amdudalat Ladipo, Illegal Nigerian immigrant arraigned in UK for fake marriages

   Two Church of England vicars conducted “hundreds” of sham marriages to help illegal immigrants stay in Britain, a court heard on Wednesday.

The Reverend Elwon John, 44, and Reverend Brian Shipsides, 55, performed the sham wedding ceremonies at All Saints Church in Forest Gate, east London, jurors were told.

Once wed, there were a “strikingly high proportion” who then made applications to the Home Office for the right to remain in the country.

In some cases, EU nationals were even flown into Britain just so the marriages could take place before being flown straight out again, Inner London crown court heard.

According to the prosecution, 31-year-old “fixer” Amdudalat Ladipo – herself an illegal immigrant – arranged the weddings between mainly Nigerian and EU nationals.

It was not until officers from the Metropolitan Police and UK Border Agency caught wind of the scam that the trio were finally rumbled on July 31, 2010.

All three are now charged with conspiring to facilitate unlawful immigration. Shipsides has already pleaded guilty. Ladipo and John deny the charges.

David Walbank, prosecuting, said, “This case involves a massive and systematic immigration fraud.

“At the centre of this fraud is one particular parish church in the east of London, All Saints Church in Forest Gate.

“The Crown’s case is that there took place in that church over a two-and-a-half year period a very large number indeed of sham marriages entered in to for the purpose of immigration.

“Most of the so-called couples participated in these marriage ceremonies were not actually couples at all.

“They were married in that church not because they wished to spend their lives together and wanted the blessing of the church, most of the persons married there for a very different reason.

‘Their ultimate purpose was to obtain enhanced rights to enter and live in the United Kingdom.” Mr. Walbank told jurors the majority of the marriages which took place were between Nigerians and nationals from the European Economic Area, mainly from Portugal and the Netherlands.

He added, “The fraud, the Crown suggest, wasn’t confined to one or two, or even a couple of dozen of ceremonies. We are concerned in this case with hundreds of sham marriages.

“On some occasions, EEA nationals were flown into the UK specially for marriages to take place and then flown back out again.”

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Posted: at 26-01-2012 06:22 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac

MEND while the insult ? Hv u being to uk b4 or any part of europe in ur life?Think b4 u talk.

Posted: at 26-01-2012 07:27 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

Colonization has changed level.

Posted: at 26-01-2012 08:39 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

i saw this girl recently (last week or 2 weeks) ago. on bus 5. i recognize her cos she was really loud. what a pity. 

Posted: at 26-01-2012 09:07 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

but ur first comment never qualify u, as some one who live in yanky as u said..

Posted: at 26-01-2012 09:15 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

Everyday for the thief and one day for the owner,well this is not new and its not only Nigerians doing this stuff,Many eastern Asians and Eastern Europeans even some afrians using Naija pali are travelling to Uk and other part of shengei countries doing arrangement marriage for paper,nobody should blame the Lady,just hard luck for her and I hope God help her.. at least she is better than people doing drugs and illegl businesses.

Posted: at 26-01-2012 09:34 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

MEND or wat ever u call your wasted life!for the fact say ur low life don mend finish no mean say u go dey xpose ur illitratcy for public,i thought u said u base in yanky?How come u dont knw common things like dis concerning document stuff within immigrant living abroad? U even no were passport office dey for 9igeria not to talk of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Dey.MUMU wey no get common sense.

Posted: at 26-01-2012 09:50 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

HE-GOAT WHICH PART OF YANKY UR USELESS LIFE BASE ?

Posted: at 26-01-2012 09:57 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

weather real marriage,fake marriage,marriage is marriage and make them give the babe her Kpali or resido make she use am waka go find him level. My own marriage too na fake,i use am get my kpâli ,pay the babe we she later divorce me say she no wan marry me again,na the arrangement be that.So no be new thing.The thing be say they no arrange this well.

Posted: at 26-01-2012 10:10 PM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac

HEY YA  SAD    D UK GOVT MAKE IT  DIFFICULT FOR SOME ONE TO GET A RESIDENCE,  SO EVERY ONE HAS TO LOOK FOR A WAY TO BEAT THE SYSTEM.  ME AS A NIGERIA AND A UK BASE,   I SEE NO CRIME IN WAT SHE HAS DONE  JUST SRY SHE GOT COUGHT.

Posted: at 26-01-2012 10:40 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming