A Nigerian pastor whose church was shut down due to an alleged £1.87 million fraud has lost his battle against deportation, despite arguing that it would violate his human rights, according to a report by the UK news outlet, The Telegraph.
An immigration tribunal has ruled that the pastor should be deported back to Nigeria after investigations, including those conducted by The Telegraph, which revealed financial misconduct within his church.
The church was closed after failing to account for over £1.87 million in expenses and operating without transparency.
The pastor stated that deportation would infringe upon his right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as he is married to a British woman. He also argued that the Home Office did not consider his contributions to the community.
His legal team described him as a “charismatic” leader of a large, well-organized church, asserting that he had positively influenced the lives of many young people, particularly from London’s black communities, steering them away from trouble.
He stated that his efforts had been lauded by politicians, including Boris Johnson, and senior figures in the Metropolitan Police, although no supporting statements were presented to the court.
He noted further that without his presence in London, his community projects would deteriorate.
However, the tribunal was informed that the Home Office argued “all is not as it seems.” The judgment noted that various manifestations of the church had been shut down by the Charity Commission or the High Court due to financial concerns and a lack of transparency.
Former church members alleged that it operated as a cult, pressuring impoverished young people to donate money through means such as taking out large loans, committing benefit fraud, and even selling their own blood. It was claimed that the church leadership lived lavish lifestyles amid allegations of abuse. The Home Office contended that these factors should be considered when assessing the pastor’s value to the UK.
The pastor reportedly has lived in the UK unlawfully since overstaying a visitor’s visa that allowed him entry in 2005. In 2019, he applied for leave to remain under the ECHR’s right to family life, but his application was initially rejected by a first-tier immigration tribunal, prompting him to appeal.
During the tribunal, he maintained that no one had faced criminal charges related to his church’s finances, asserting that many criticisms were politically motivated and that claims of cult-like behavior were unfounded. However, the tribunal noted that the Charity Commission found “serious misconduct and/or mismanagement” in the charity’s administration over a significant period.
The tribunal also deemed the pastor’s testimony to be “hyperbolic in many instances” and suggested he exaggerated his influence. “It is implausible that he has the time to personally undertake all of this work,” the tribunal stated.
Ultimately, the tribunal concluded: “We are not satisfied that the good work generally undertaken would collapse or significantly suffer if the Appellant were required to leave the UK. We find the decision to refuse leave to remain to be wholly proportionate.
“He relies on family and private life relationships that were established while he was in the UK unlawfully, which would continue to exist after his return to Nigeria. The interference would therefore be limited and lawful in all circumstances.”
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