- Nigeria-born Uzoma Onwuha paid Robert Horvath £1,000 to marry her
- But staff at Cardiff register office soon became suspicious of the ‘couple’
- The ‘doting’ bride and groom couldn’t give basic details about each other
- One guest revealed he was invited after the pair found him at a bus stop
A bogus bride and groom have been jailed after rounding up guests for their sham wedding – from a local bus stop.
Uzoma Onwuha, 30, and Robert Horvath, 35 exchanged vows at Cardiff register office, in front of strangers they’d met on the way to their ceremony in Cardiff, Wales.
But Nigeria-born Onwuha had paid Horvath £1,000 to marry her so that she could get the necessary paperwork to stay in Britain.
Staff at the register office soon became suspicious because the ‘couple’ couldn’t give basic details about each other.
Later, a police investigation showed that one guest revealed that he was invited after the pair found him at a bus stop nearby.
Cardiff Crown court heard that as soon as their big day was over the newlyweds went their separate ways.
Onwuha caught a bus back to her home in London alone where she was arrested.
Meanwhile, Horvath was seized in a raid on his home in Newport, South Wales, where he was found living with another woman.
ALSO SEE: Nigerian Couple Jailed For Money Laundering And Human Trafficking.
Prosecutor Jeremy Jenkins said: ‘There were only six guests at the wedding.
‘But they were unable to answer police questions such as where the other guests were from.
‘One guest said he had been invited to the wedding after a random meeting with the bride and groom at a bus stop.’
Onwuha, who came to the Britain on a student visa, admitted obtaining leave to enter or remain in the UK by deception.
Horvath, a Czech Republic native who has lived in Britain since 2000, admitted assisting unlawful immigration.
They were each jailed for 12 months and told to pay £225 to cover prosecution costs.
Judge Phillip Richards said: ‘Horvath got a financial reward from a woman who could scarcely afford that money. For him it was a money-making exercise. For her it was a money-losing exercise.
‘Those who deceive in order to benefit in such a way are creating serious crimes. There is already enough criminal activity going on in the UK,’
Upon serving her sentence, Onwuha will be released into immigration custody and steps will be taken for her to be returned to Nigeria.
