Chimezie Sham Shut Down

A Nigerian student whom attempted a sham marriage to allow her to stay beyond her visa has been jailed for 18 months.

Chimezie Emeronye entered the UK legally back in 2008 on a three year visa. However the three year course she wished to didn’t start until 2010 and would have seen her breach her conditions of stay.

In desperation to find an alternative, Emeronye, now 26, embarked in attempts to marry a Czech man but failed to do so thanks to Newcastle’s vigilant vicars.

Pious and Policing

The plot was foiled initially following a visit to Rev Tim Ferguson in May 2010, Venerable Bede Church, when he realised that the Nigerian couldn’t even speak the same language as her husband to be.

The vicar told The Chronicle: “It’s not happened here before, so it was unusual. I’ve been here three years and I’ve never seen it happen, or heard of it happening to another vicar.”

Due to suspicions Ferguson refused to marry the two but that failed to stop the criminal activity as a month later they visited another Reverend in an attempt to get a visa.

The Nigerian, who got married in January whilst on bail, was sentenced last week.

Bill Donnelly, the defendant’s barrister, stated, “She came here lawfully and undertook the study she was here to pursue.

“She has not been a burden on the taxpayer, she has been funded by her family and had found work in accordance with her visa”

As the university takes steps to monitor the attendance of overseas students this only brings to light other methods of attempted visa breach that are being attempted.

Know anyone that has attempted or succeeded in marriage fraud? Contact us at [email protected].