A man who unlawfully gave immigration advice in the Manchester area was sentenced today at Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square).

Mr. Ngoyi Malumba, 55, of Frodsham Street, Manchester, pleaded guilty to providing immigration advice and services unlawfully.

Mr. Malumba, who is unqualified, operated Tameside Human Rights Watch, from offices in Wilmslow Road, Rusholme, Manchester. He admitted giving immigration advice and services to 200 clients who believed that he was qualified to do so.

The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner initiated an investigation in response to concerns raised about Mr. Malumba’s competence after he represented a client at a hearing in the First-tier Tribunal at Hatton Cross, West London.

In sentencing HH Judge Timothy Smith said: “Whatever lay in the motivation, you were wrongly acting on behalf of potentially or actually vulnerable people detained and looking for advice and representation in relation to asylum, extradition deportation or their immigration status … There are 18 people covered by the indictment spanning a period between 2015 and 2018. There are suggestions you acted for a far greater number of people, providing advice and service and taking money from them …You were entirely at all times unqualified to do so and you in large part knew that.”

He added: “At times when people were at risk or had deadlines to meet in relation to their detention you were filling in forms which were inappropriate. They were not getting assistance they properly deserved. Their own cases may have been prejudiced by your conduct. Ultimately it was done for gain by you totalling £25,000.” Speaking about the decision, Deputy Immigration Services Commissioner, Dr Ian Leigh, said: “This is not a technical or victimless crime, Ngoyi Malumba, set up a business to provide immigration advice when he was not qualified or competent to do so.

“He was advising vulnerable people who could not handle their immigration cases on their own … 200 trusted him and he betrayed that trust.”