UK Wedding News
10/09/2014
A vicar from south-east London has been accused of presiding over almost 500 sham weddings.
According to reports, Reverend Nathan Ntege, 55, is said to have conducted the ceremonies at a church in Thornton Heath so that foreign nationals could remain in the UK.
Mr Ntege has denied 14 counts of facilitating a breach of immigration law and one count of fraud.
Ntege was arrested in June 2011. Earlier this week, the Inner London Crown Court heard how immigration officials became suspicious of the vicar after an "inordinate number" of weddings were taking place at the church. The number of ceremonies being held at the venue were said to have increased from six a year, to six a day.
Edward Lucas, prosecuting, told the court that many of the services involved nationals from the European Economic Area marrying people from outside, so they could later attempt to try and remain in the UK.
The prosecution also claim the vicar defrauded the church by not transferring £69,000 in statutory fees which he charged for weddings between January 2007 and May 2011. At the same time, Ntege had transferred about £55,000 to Uganda, where he was ordained, the court was told.
According to the BBC, in addition to Mr Ntege, six others have been charged in connection with the sham weddings. They include 81-year-old Brian Miller, who acted as the church verger. He denies seven counts of commissioning a breach of immigration law. Maudlyn Riviere, 67, acted as the church secretary and is accused of 15 counts of the same offence, all of which she denies.
Galina Petkova, 51, and Georgia Forteath, 34, were both married at the church and have been accused of acting as "fixers" for other ceremonies.
Ms Petkova denies seven counts of commissioning a breach of immigration law and Ms Forteath denies two counts of the same offence. 34-year-old Innocent Odoh denies one count of commissioning a breach of immigration law and another of deception, as does 54-year-old Angela Palachie.
(JP/CD)
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Vicar Presided Over '500 Sham Weddings'
A vicar from south-east London has been accused of presiding over almost 500 sham weddings.
According to reports, Reverend Nathan Ntege, 55, is said to have conducted the ceremonies at a church in Thornton Heath so that foreign nationals could remain in the UK.
Mr Ntege has denied 14 counts of facilitating a breach of immigration law and one count of fraud.
Ntege was arrested in June 2011. Earlier this week, the Inner London Crown Court heard how immigration officials became suspicious of the vicar after an "inordinate number" of weddings were taking place at the church. The number of ceremonies being held at the venue were said to have increased from six a year, to six a day.
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Edward Lucas, prosecuting, told the court that many of the services involved nationals from the European Economic Area marrying people from outside, so they could later attempt to try and remain in the UK.
The prosecution also claim the vicar defrauded the church by not transferring £69,000 in statutory fees which he charged for weddings between January 2007 and May 2011. At the same time, Ntege had transferred about £55,000 to Uganda, where he was ordained, the court was told.
According to the BBC, in addition to Mr Ntege, six others have been charged in connection with the sham weddings. They include 81-year-old Brian Miller, who acted as the church verger. He denies seven counts of commissioning a breach of immigration law. Maudlyn Riviere, 67, acted as the church secretary and is accused of 15 counts of the same offence, all of which she denies.
Galina Petkova, 51, and Georgia Forteath, 34, were both married at the church and have been accused of acting as "fixers" for other ceremonies.
Ms Petkova denies seven counts of commissioning a breach of immigration law and Ms Forteath denies two counts of the same offence. 34-year-old Innocent Odoh denies one count of commissioning a breach of immigration law and another of deception, as does 54-year-old Angela Palachie.
(JP/CD)
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