Members of an African family, who masterminded an 18-year £4m plot to defraud immigration and DSS departments by creating and using a string of false identities, were sentenced today.
"When the phrase 'family business' was used that was no cliche, that was a reality," commented Croydon Crown Court Judge Nicholas Ainley. "Sentences of imprisonment are inevitable in this case."
Ringleader Ruth Nabaguzi, 49, (pic.top l.) of Church Road, Forest Gate, East London was jailed for six years and landed the NHS with a £2,280,000 bill for HIV Aids medication alone by obtaining multiple quantities in different identities.
She pleaded guilty to a total of twenty-six charges.
Lamulah Sekiziyuvu, 36, (main pic. l.) of Palmerston Road, Manor Park received 30 months; Albert Kaidi, 27, (main pic. mid.) received 30 months; his partner, mother-of-two Jordan Sebutemba, 26, (main pic. r.) of South Esk Road, Forest Gate received a 12 month sentence, suspended for 2 years and Dennis Kyeyune, 29, (pic.top r.) of Mitcham Road, Mitcham received 30 months.
The jury found them guilty of conspiring to defraud immigration and DSS departments and other government departments between June 12, 1993 and September 9, 2011.
Kaidi alone was convicted of assisting unlawful immigration on or about September 24, 2006 and making a false statement to obtain jobseeker's allowance between March 26, 2009 and August 24, last year.
The prosecution have calculated the total loss at £3,950,000, which includes £154,000 in state education; £37,500 in higher education; £650,000 form a sub-letting scam involving properties in receipt of housing benefit and £900,000 in other benefits.
"This was a fraud on a huge scale an it is an outrageous abuse of the hospitality you were offered by this country when you came here in trouble," announced Judge Ainley.
"The identities you used and no doubt sold were then used by other people. You had no scruples in bringing children to this country and then involving them in your criminal pursuits.
"This was motivated entirely by greed. All these identities were, for you, valuable commodities."
Mathy Matumba, 50, (pic. bottom r.) received four years for a £350,000 benefit fraud using multiple id's and nurse Lina Katongola, 29, (pic. bottom l.) received one year.
Another defendant, 31 year-old Eddie Semanda received 4 months, suspended for a year.
"This case is summarised in two words: 'Identity fraud.' It is at the heart of this case against these defendants," prosecutor Mr. Paul Raudnitz told the court.
"The allegation is that they conspired together and with others, in particular Ruth Nabaguzi, to systematically, use, create and exploit false identities to facilitate fraud.
"These identities were misused to facilitate benefit and immigration fraud."
Describing Nabaguzi as the plot's ringleader Mr. Raudnitz added: "She was at the heart of the conspiracy. She agreed with people to use false identities to facilitate fraud.
"Each defendant at different times joined the conspiracy, attaching themselves to the agreement at some stage and it's tentacles went far and would do so for many years."
The prosecution say Sekiziyuvu is either Nabaguzi's daughter or niece and Kyeyune is her son.
"She employed multiple different identities and her true identity may never be known," explained Mr. Raudnitz of Nabaguzi.
"All the defendants are either children of hers or related or associated with her."
During a police and UK Border Agency raid on an address in Mitcham Road, Mitcham on September 8, last year Kyeyune was arrested.
"Concealed in the shed roof in the back garden was a black holdall and inside was a vast array of passports and documents in multiple different identities.
"This was , in effect, a kit bag for identity fraud," said the prosecutor.
"Nabaguzi adopted and ruthlessly abused identities and obtained immigration status for herself in a number of different identities and for a number of other people and from them benefit claims would be made."
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