Photos: Nigerian Student Sentenced To Jail For Attempting Fake Marriage In The UK

Chinedu Amadi                                                              Szilvia Basco-Porkolab

Chinedu Amadi,27, a Nigerian studying in England has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for attempting to marry a stranger, EU and also a Hungarian national, Szilvia Basco-Pokolab to allow him stay in the UK. 

Amadi had paid £5,000 to an unknown 'fixer' to arrange the bogus wedding but he ran out of luck when they were caught as they were about taking their vows at the Leicester Registry Office on February 14th of this year.

After their arrest, investigators discovered Basco-Porkolab was involved in an earlier sham marriage to another Nigerian, Ikechukwu Egbe, at Greta Green in May 2011.

Caught in the act: A suspicious registrar contacted the Home Office who had investigator lay in wait for the pair to arrive for the sham wedding

Basco-Porkolab, 38, living in Leicester, admitted two counts of conspiracy to breach immigration laws relating to sham marriages, and was jailed for 34 months.

Amadi, 27, of Livingstone Road, Gillingham, admitted a similar count and was jailed for 20 months.

Egbe, 34, of Narborough Road, Leicester, was convicted of one offence of conspiracy, and jailed for 30 months.

A fourth person, Rubin Durgos 39, admitted conspiracy, in the intended sham marriage of Amadi. She was to be the bride, before Basco-Porkolab stepped in at the last minute. Durgos, a Hungarian, of Forest Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, was jailed for 20 months.

Co-conspirators: Ikechukwu Egbe and Rubin Durgos 

Neil Bannister, prosecuting, told the court: 

'The offences came to light with the intended marriage, initially, between Durgos and Amadi. Both attended Leicester Registry Office to give their notice of intention to marry, on October 21. They met the deputy superintendent registrar for Leicester, Debra Webster.  

Mrs Webster recognized Durgos as someone she knew as Rita Durgos, a Hungarian who had acted as an interpreter for more than one marriage. These marriages involved Hungarians and nationals from countries outside the European Economic Area. Mrs Webster became suspicious as to whether Durgos and Amadi were going to enter a genuine marriage.  

Durgos struggled to pronounce the first name of Amadi and he struggled to remember his address. Mrs Webster also thought the couple were being excessively affectionate and gained the impression they were trying too hard to demonstrate they were a couple. 

Arrangements were made for a marriage on January 19. On that date, a woman claiming to be Rubin Durgos turned up but Mrs Webster did not recognise her. It is not known who that woman was.  

Amadi was an hour late and missed the ceremony, so a further date was arranged for 2pm on February 14. By then Mrs Webster had alerted the authorities.  

Meanwhile, information came to light Durgos had been married to a Godwin Okechuku, a Nigerian, on July 4, 2008, at Christ the King Church, Beaumont Leys, Leicester.

On February 14, Mrs Webster noted the bride was different from Durgos and the woman who attended on January 19. When arrested in a wedding dress, she initially told officers she was attending as a witness.

In mitigation, the court heard Egbe and Amadi had entered the UK legitimately on student visas, which had not expired.

Egbe enrolled at Leicester Business Academy, which then closed and he was concerned his visa would be revoked. He was 'desperate' to stay in the country, all the defendants are likely to be deported after their sentences.

Source: Dailymail