British Woman Jailed For Sham Marriage To Nigerian

A babysitter who married a Nigerian immigrant in a sham ceremony has been jailed for six months. 

Emma Louise Evans, 35, wept in the dock at as she was sentenced for her sham wedding with Nigerian Kazeem Kolade Office in 2012.

Kolade has since disappeared and the police are continuing to look for him.

                                       

“Offences of this kind strike at the heart of the immigration system and the message must go out to all those thinking of engaging in this kind of behaviour that the punishment will severe,” said Judge Jonathan Gibson.

Evans had never denied taking part in the sham marriage to Kolade, but she was able to convince prosecutors she did then not go on to bigamously marry a second man, Stephen Akinseye, who she remains married to, the following January.

Defence counsel Mark Stuart was able to produce a divorce certificate, after making inquiries with the Nigerian High Commission, to prove that the first wedding had been annulled.

Evens denied bigamy and a third charge of taking part in a second sham marriage with Akinseye at Burnley.

Prosecutors said the pleas were acceptable after legal discussions had taken place with Stuart.

The court heard how Evans been introduced to Kolade, who had first come into the UK on a student visa in 2010, via a man named ‘Patrick’ on Facebook.

They first met in person in March 2011 in London. On February 22, 2012 Evans and Kolade attended a notice of intention to marry interview, and they were married on July 2, 2012.

Prosecuting Neville Biddel said: “Just under two weeks later on July 15 Mr Kolade appealed to stay in the UK, relying on the fact he was married. It was under a sham marriage and the defendant has never tried to hide that.”

Defending, Stuart said his vulnerable client had been targeted because she was naïve.

He said Evans had never wanted to go through with the marriage and she had been pressured in to it.

Evans had never agreed to marry Kolade for money, according to Stuart, although Kolade had promised to help Evans financially.

However, he had ‘lost interest’ when Evans made it clear she did not want a sexual relationship and stopped contacting her, the court was told.

As well as the custodial sentence, which had been reduced because of an early guilty plea, Evans was also made subject to a 12-month supervision order and must pay a £20 victim surcharge.