Rochdale vicar arrested on immigration fraud charges: The Church of England Newspaper, March 18, 2011 p 6.

Canon Patrick Magumba

First published in The Church of England Newspaper.

A Manchester vicar has been arrested for allegedly conducting hundreds of sham marriages to help immigrants fraudulently obtain visas.

On March 13, the Archdeacon of Rochdale told the congregation of St. Peter’s Church in Newbold, Rochdale, that their Team Vicar, Canon Patrick Magumba, had been arrested and the rectory and church searched by officers of the UK Border Agency in connection with an investigation of sham marriages in the North West.

Canon Magumba, a Ugandan immigrant and Team Vicar for the South Rochdale Team Ministry of St Peter’s, Newbold, St Luke’s Deeplish, and St Mary’s, Balderstone has since been released on bail.

A spokesman for the diocese confirmed Canon Magumba had been “questioned by the immigration crime team over irregularities in relation to weddings.

“He will continue to help the authorities with their enquiries over the coming weeks.”

“Following proper procedures,” Manchester Bishop Nigel McCulloch suspended Canon Magumba’s “licence to operate as a minister of religion while the investigations continue,” a church spokesman told the Manchester Evening News.

Last year the Rev. Alex Brown was convicted of having conducted almost 200 sham marriages at his East Sussex church, while two East London clergymen, the Rev. Brian Shipsides and the Rev. Elwon John were arrested for allegedly conducting sham marriages.

On March 13, 2010 the Crown Prosecution Service presented formal charges against the two Diocese of Chelmsford clergymen of conspiring to facilitate entry and to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK in breach of immigration law by allegedly conducting approximately 200 sham marriages at All Saints Church, Forest Gate, between December 2007 and July 2010.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the alleged fake unions were between EU and non-EU residents.

The pair will appear at Stratford Magistrates’ Court on March 18.

By marrying a EU national, an immigrant is entitled to apply for permission to stay in Britain as a ‘spouse’, with access to free healthcare, education and benefits.