Sham marriage man facing deportation

A MAN was today facing deportation after being found guilty of paying his girlfriend’s childhood pal to marry him so he could stay in the UK.

Kizito Ugo Nwajeri gave Kirsty Birnie, of Aberdeen, £2,000 to fly to Nigeria with him and his lover for the nuptials, so he could renew his student visa.

The 31-year-old had claimed he was in love with the mum-of-one when they wed in a traditional ceremony in Lagos in 2010 and denied cash was ever exchanged.

But Miss Birnie, 30, who works as a domestic at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, said she was told to “name her price” and handed a bible stuffed with thousands of pounds during a meeting at an Aberdeen cafe.

It took a jury of eight women and seven men just under two hours to convict the Nigerian of the offence under the Immigration Act and a further charge of dealing cocaine.

Nwajeri had also denied dealing cocaine at locations across Aberdeen between September 2010 and May last year, but was found guilty of the charge.

Lord Kinclaven deferred sentence so that reports could be prepared and ordered for Nwajeri to be taken into custody.