Vicar exposes suspected sham marriage

A vicar in Essex has exposed a suspected SHAM wedding by listing a load of train stations during the vows.

During the ceremony in Tilbury he got the bride to repeat the words Pitsea, Benfleet and Leigh on Sea, to show she didn't understand what she was saying.

Officers from Essex Police and a specialist immigration crime team stopped the ceremony at St John’s church, in Dock Road, as it was about to start at 12 noon on Tuesday August 25, 2010.

The Nigerian groom and Dutch bride were arrested along with two witnesses and another man

Roqsilmar Marti, 28, of Rotterdam, Netherlands, the bride, Abdallah Magezi, 35, of Plumstead, south east London and Abraham Akinola, 32, of Sycamore Close, Tilbury, the groom are all charged with conspiring to facilitate breaches of UK immigration law.

Magezi is also charged with possessing a false identity document and escaping from lawful custody.

Akinola is also charged with remaining in the UK beyond the time limit, possessing a false identity document and making a false declaration to procure marriage.

All three were remanded in custody to appear at Basildon magistrates’ court on Friday August 27.

Another man and woman arrested over it, have been bailed while police continue the investigation.