Trial collapses after immigration ofcials

'lie under oath'

SI MON I SRAEL-T!RS"A# $% O&TO'ER
$()*
E+&L!SI,E- The !.'s /iggest sham marriage trial has collapsed 0ith the
1udge accusing !.'A ofcers of deli/eratel2 concealing e3idence and l2ing
under oath4
The ome Ofce has re3ealed to &hannel * Ne0s that three immigration
ofcers ha3e /een suspended and the Independent 5olice &omplaints
&ommission 6I5&&7 has /een called in to carr2 out an in3estigation4
The &ro0n 5rosecution Ser3ice 6&5S7 is to conduct a full re3ie0 into the
handling of the case and accepts it fell /elo0 accepta/le standards4
The trial at the Inner London &ro0n &ourt centred round allegations that a
3icar8 and se3eral church ofcials had presided o3er a 9con3e2or /elt9 of
fa:e 0eddings4
The Re3erend Nathan Ntege 6pictured7 0as accused of conducting *;*
sham marriages o3er four 2ears at St <ude's 0ith St Aidan &hurch in
Thornton eath8 South London /et0een $((= and $())4
The prosecutor Ed0ard Lucas had descri/ed to the 1ur2 that the num/er of
0eddings 0ent up from si> a 2ear to si> a da28 0ith /rides ?ueueing round
the /loc: and sometimes sharing the same 0edding dress4
I am satis@ed that ofcers at the heart of this prosecution ha3e
deli/eratel2 concealed important e3idence and lied on oath4 is
onour <udge Madge
'ut8 0hen immigration ofcers 0ere ?uestioned in the 0itness /o>8 it
emerged that e3idence had /een tampered 0ith or concealed8 possi/l2
destro2ed8 3ideo footage had gone missing8 and an in3estigation log had
/een doctored4
is onour <udge Nic Madge /rought the trial to halt a 2esterda28 sa2ing 9I
am satis@ed that ofcers at the heart of this prosecution ha3e deli/eratel2
concealed important e3idence and lied on oath4
'Tainted'
9The /ad faith and misconduct started in $()) 0hen t0o of the principal
defendants 0ere arrested and has continued throughout the course of this
trial4
9In m2 1udgment8 it has tainted the 0hole case4 It has tainted the
prosecution against all se3en defendants4 It is a case in 0hich the
prosecution should not /e allo0ed to /ene@t from the serious mis/eha3iour
of the ofcer in the case or the disclosure ofcer49
Se3en defendants 0ere formerl2 ac?uitted of all )= charges alleging 3arious
degrees of in3ol3ement 0ith marriages of con3enience in order to /2pass
immigration la0s4
A ome Ofce spo:esman told &hannel * Ne0s- 9The collapse of this trial is
an e>tremel2 disappointing end to a long in3estigation4
'Aull re3ie0'
9Be e>pect the highest standards from all our staC8 and clearl2 0e are
treating the 1udge's ruling that our ofcers acted in /ad faith 0ith the
utmost seriousness4 Three ofcers ha3e /een formall2 suspended and the
matter referred to the I5&& for in3estigation4
9It 0ould /e inappropriate to comment further at this stage49
The &5S told us- 9Be are no0 carefull2 considering the 1udge's comments in
relation to our handling of this case8 0hich has clearl2 fallen /elo0 the high
standards that 0e 0ould e>pect4
9Be 0ill no0 /e conducting a full re3ie0 into the handling of disclosure and
other issues throughout the trial49
Posted by Thavam