Samuel Shoyeju, 53, a UK-based Nigerian and an immigration officer with the UK Border Agency, has pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office at the Basildon Crown Court for visa racketeering.
According to a report in the Friday issue of The Times of London, Shoyeju’s misconduct include allowing scores of immigrants to stay in the country illegally in a scheme that has granted counterfeit visas to non-European residents.
Quoting court documents, the newspaper said tens of thousands of pounds entered Shoyeju’s bank account during an unspecified period up to April 2008.
It quoted Ms Lucy Kennedy, who spoke for the prosecution, as saying that Shoyeju’s motivation appeared to be money.
She said that within the documentary evidence there was a reference to two individuals who were the beneficiaries of the counterfeit indefinite leave which Shoyeju unlawfully made.
“There is also Bank material which suggests or demonstrates that there was an awful lot of money, in the tens of thousands, that was going through Mr Shoyeju’s accounts,’’ it quoted Kennedy as saying.
Kennedy further said that there was an inference to be drawn that Shoyeju was motivated by money; he did not do it out of the kindness of his heart. This was not an act of charity.’’
However, Stephen Linehan, QC for Shoyeju, told the Judge that this should not be taken into account when his client would be sentenced.
“It cannot be proven that he did it for money and we do not accept that,’’ the paper quoted Linehan as saying.
He also argued that his client, who had worked as an entry clearance officer in Nigeria, should be allowed to go home subject to bail conditions.
However, Presiding Judge Christopher Mitchell remanded Shoyeju in custody, saying that he faced a “significant custodial sentence’’.