A 61-year-old physically challenged Nigerian man, Anthony Olubunmi George, faces deportation from the UK after 38 years of residency due to an alleged forged entry stamp in his passport.
Despite having no criminal convictions, the UK Home Office has rejected his multiple applications for leave to remain, including the most recent one on May 7.
George, who arrived in the UK in 1986 at the age of 24, has never left the country and has been living with health issues since suffering two strokes in 2019, which affected his speech and mobility.
His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah, attributes his problems to poor previous legal representation.
In 2005, George’s previous solicitors submitted a forged entry stamp in his passport, which he claims he knew nothing about until many years later.
The solicitors have since been reported to the police and legal regulatory bodies.
The Home Office has deemed George’s circumstances not exceptional enough for consideration, leaving him in a state of uncertainty and worry.
George, who has been sleeping on friends’ sofas, appealed for kindness from the Home Office, citing his health problems as his biggest concern.
George told the Guardian he knew nothing about the passport stamp until many years later. His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, cited his poor previous legal representation as the reason for George’s problems.
In his most recent refusal, Home Office officials said: “Unfortunately this is not something that is considered an exceptional circumstance.”
George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry. All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”
