By David O’Loughlin - Vicar Rev Canon Patrick John Magumba, who used his £18,000 post to conducted 28 sham marriages in Rochdale for illegal immigrants to stay in the UK, was finally jailed for two and a half years at Bolton Crown Court last week.

It was established by UK Border Agency’s that Magumba, originally from Uganda, was performing the illegal marriages from three different churches in the Rochdale – St Luke's in Deeplish, St Peter's in Newbold, and St Mary's in Balderstone. Money exchanged hand for £250 per marriage. Magumba racketeered a grand total of £8,345 for these 'marriages'.

The forged marriage certificate was handed to the illegal immigrants as ‘golden tickets’ to the promised land, giving them the same rights in the UK as any EU citizen.

Bolton Crown Court heard that Magumba had also stole £5,400 from the St Peters Church, and a further £2,908 from St Lukes Church where the fraudulent marriages took place.

It was also revealed that the father of six was appointed head of a working party to investigate sham marriages after a sudden leap in foreign nationals marrying across the UK!

David O’Loughlin, British National Party Organiser for Whitworth and Rochdale said “questions need to be asked why this man was appointed to investigate illegal marriages and how he was allowed to get away with it for so long?

“I would also ask after this bogus vicar has finished serving his sentence, will he be deported back to the country where he originated from?”

To get involved with your Whitworth and Rochdale branch please email David at rochdale@bnp.org.uk