Revealed: Nigerian conman given asylum because he's gay has fathered three children with different women
A general view inside the former Reading prison building
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A Nigerian conman who was behind a £220,000 parcel scam has been given asylum in the UK after claiming he is gay.
Saheed Azeez, who fathered three children, previously married a woman.
He will now face an immigration hearing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and plotting to possess criminal property.
The conviction could result in a six year prison sentence.
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Azeez was told he had three children, two sons aged seven and six, and a three-year-old daughter while serving in Salford’s Forest Bank prison.
He insisted he would be persecuted for his sexuality if he was returned to Nigeria.
Azeez said: “I'm bisexual and in the country I was born, that is not allowed.
“I can't go back, I can't speak out, I can't say anything. I was born in an Islamic country, in Kano, Nigeria.
“If I go back they will send me to jail or stone me to death. There will be people looking for me.”
Bolton Crown Court was also told his father and two brothers were killed in 1993 as a result of his dad's political activism.
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Nigeria has strict rules on LGBT+ issues
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He was exploited as a child and teenager before entering a homosexual relationship as an adult
On one occasion Azeez was beaten and tortured.
The court was also told his gay partner, who helped arrange his escape from Nigeria, was later killed for helping him leave the country.
Azeez added: “I was married in the Islamic way, I don't think she would want to talk to anyone.
“She's not happy with the position, with everything happening now. I've not been sentenced yet.
“When they arrested me I was taking my son to primary school. I had my daughter in the car seat.
“I am involved in my children's lives. I don't have any issues with their mums.
Courier handing over package asking female customer to do electronic signature, delivering, receiving, efficiency
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“But they must move on with their lives. I have let them down, they must have their own freedom.”
However, he was also behind a £220,000 parcel scam involving 272 victims shortly after arriving in the UK.
Andy Evans, prosecuting, said: “The phones were accessed and interrogated and clearly showed his role in the online frauds.
“It seems these fraudsters would contact victims in the UK who were selling consumer electronics online on various platforms including eBay, Facebook Marketplace and WhatsApp - and victims were persuaded to provide their items prior to payment being made.”
Evans added: “He accepts he collected the parcels arranged to be sent to those addresses and received a cut himself from the profits.
“Each occupant of the addresses where the parcels were sent were notified of the fake names in advance whenever the postman called.”
Azeez admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and plotting to possess criminal property.
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