Ugandan vicar in UK faces jail for staging sham marriages
http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/314860-ugandan-vicar-in-uk-faces-jail-for-staging-sham-marriages.html
Publish Date: Dec 14, 2011
A Ugandan-born vicar based in UK has been warned that he faced going to jail 'for some time’ after he admitted staging 31 sham marriages.
The Rev Canon John Magumba, 58, conducted weddings between illegal immigrant brides and grooms and EU passport holders they barely knew so they could remain in Britain.
According to Daily Mail, the vicar also admitted pocketing over £8,000 that was given to his church in fees or donations from genuine weddings and funerals.
Investigators from the UK Border Agency were tipped off earlier this year that Magumba, who covered three churches in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was helping illegal immigrants take part in bogus weddings.
Equipped with marriage certificates, immigrants were then able to obtain a visa allowing them leave to stay in Britain with full access to education, healthcare and welfare benefits.
Often the couples would immediately drop the pretence of a relationship straight after the ceremony and go their separate ways.
At Bolton Crown Court yesterday, Magumba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breaching UK immigration law by conducting sham marriages and also two counts of theft.
Judge Thomas Teague QC told the defence counsel for the shamed vicar: 'It is a very serious case and he must obviously expect to lose his liberty for some time.’
Speaking to Magumba, who stood in the dock with his head bowed, the judge added that it was 'a very serious matter’.
The married father-of-six, who wore an open-neck shirt with no dog collar, was accompanied by the Venerable Alan Wolstencroft, from the Bishop of Manchester's office.
Afterwards he said: 'He will not be saying anything - he is very upset.’
Magumba admitted conspiring with a number of people - who cannot be named for legal reasons - in facilitating the commission of a breach in immigration law between April 2008 and February 2011.
He also admitted stealing £5,437 from St Peter's Church and £2,908 from St Luke's Church, both in Rochdale – a total of £8,345.
He was granted bail and will be sentenced in January.
The vicar, of Deeplish, Rochdale, was arrested in March after an investigation into 100 sham marriages and suspended by the Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch.
Sham: Rev Alex Brown was jailed for four years last year after marrying 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers
Immigration investigators have been examining allegations that marriage banns were not read out by Magumba for ceremonies involving immigrants.
Names and addresses of brides and grooms should be read out at three services prior to the wedding and details posted for anyone to see.
Magumba was team vicar for the South Rochdale team ministry, overseeing three churches in the area - St Peter's, Newbold, St Luke's, Deeplish, and St Mary's, Balderstone.
A member of the Association of Christian Counsellors, he has lectured on the challenges of ministering to Britain’s growing African population and written a Phd on Christianity in Uganda.
Yesterday a Diocese of Manchester spokesman said: 'Reverend Canon John Magumba has pleaded guilty to contravening the Immigration Act by conducting irregular weddings and theft from churches.
'The highest standards are expected from all clergy. It is extremely rare for clergy to abuse the trust placed in them by their congregation, community and bishop.
'At present Rev Magumba is suspended by the Bishop of Manchester. His suspension will continue while formal procedures begin into his conduct.’
Last year another Church of England minister was jailed for four years over the biggest fake-wedding scam Britain has seen.
Rev Alex Brown abused his position at his Victorian parish church in the seaside town of St Leonards, East Sussex, to marry 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers.
Between 2005 and 2009, Brown married up to eight couples a day and was found guilty of breaching immigration laws.
He also pleaded guilty to solemnising a marriage according to the rites of the Church of England without banns being properly read.
Source: Daily Mail
