Vicar charged following sham marriage probe

A vicar arrested as part of a sham marriage investigation has been charged.

Rev Canon Dr Patrick John Magumba, 58, is accused of breaching immigration law by conducting a bogus ceremony at a church in Rochdale where he was the team vicar.

Rev Magumba was charged after a detailed probe by the UK Border Agency (UKBA),

A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: “Rev Patrick John Magumba, 58, a Ugandan national, was arrested in March this year by the UKBA’s north west immigration crime team.

“He has been charged at Bury police station with conspiracy to facilitate a breach of UK immigration law by a non-EU person and two counts of theft by an employee.

“He remains on bail as he has been since his arrest.”