Inquiry launched into Home Office corruption claims

Thursday, 27 July 2006 12:00 AM

The Home Office has ordered an immediate investigation into reports that one of its officials has offered immigrants refugee status in return for cash.

An undercover reporter for The Sun recorded an Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) official saying that for payments of up to £5,000, he could get anyone a visa to stay in Britain as a refugee.

He apparently claimed he could provide fake identity documents and coach asylum seekers on how to cheat the system.

The revelation comes just days after home secretary John Reid announced a major shakeup of the IND, promising new targets on processing asylum applications and pledging more money to track down failed asylum seekers who remained in the UK.

Responding to today's reports, IND director general Lin Home said she took the allegations made "very seriously" and promised an immediate investigation.

"The last reported incident of corruption at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate led to a sacking and is now under criminal investigation. The Home Office will not tolerate fraud and corruption from its staff," she said.

She added: "We expect the highest standard of integrity from IND staff and will not settle for anything less."

However, the Conservatives said the last investigation, into allegations that immigration officials were giving out visas in return for sex, was a "whitewash" and called for a fully independent probe to be launched.

"None of John Reid's reforms stands a chance if corruption is allowed to continue at the heart of the IND," said shadow immigration minister Damian Green.

According to The Sun, 35-year-old Joseph Dzumbira specialised in pretending that would-be asylum seekers were from Zimbabwe - the government cannot return Zimbabweans because of fears that they would be ill-treated on their return.

"I know Nigerians are claiming to be Zimbabwean. No one checks," he was recorded as saying.

The IND worker was based at the directorate's office in Lunar House, south London, where the government recently had to admit that it had employed a number of illegal immigrants by mistake.

It was the latest of a series of embarrassing incidents involving the Home Office, following the foreign prisoners scandal and the admission that the government had no idea how many illegal immigrants were in the UK.

On Tuesday, Mr Reid announced a doubling of the enforcement budget for the IND to track down illegal immigrants who have failed to leave the country, and proposed a new uniform for officials policing Britain's borders.

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