Sham-marriage couple still living together

A DISTRICT Court has heard that a Romanian man and a Pakistani woman who were arrested following a major Garda probe into sham marriages are still living together.
Ioan Arminia, with an address of Bracklaghboy, Knock Road. Ballyhaunis, was arrested along with Nadia Mir of the same address and charged as part of ‘Operation Vantage’, set up last year by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to investigate illegal immigration and identify marriages of convenience.
Mr Arminia and Ms Mir, who are both in their 30s,  appeared in court last week, facing the charges of providing false and misleading information at Castlebar Civil Registration Service on June 9, 2015.
Ms Mir was also charged with giving false and misleading information to an officer of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on September 22 last.
Solicitor for Mr Arminia, Tom Walsh told Castlebar District Court that his client was ‘still single’ and was still living and working in Ballyhaunis.
Asked if he had any plans to marry, Arminia said, through a translator, ‘I’m still thinking about it’. He added, ‘In order to start a new life I will marry in future. I have a girlfriend, her name is Nadia’.
Judge Mary Devins asked was his girlfriend in court, to which Arminia said yes and pointed at his co-accused, but added that they did not have a relationship ‘as it stands’.
Inspector Mandy Gaynor said she was surprised that Mr Arminia still intended to marry Ms Mir, to which Arminia said he intends to marry ‘someone’ to start a new life.

Intend to marry
Taking the stand, Ms Mir told the court that they both still lived at the same address and that they intend to marry. The court heard that Ms Mir has applied for asylum in Ireland and is currently awaiting an appeal.
At a previous court sitting it was revealed that Ms Mir had studied in the UK and was refused for a visa in 2008 but was granted one in December 2009 on appeal. She had been married in Pakistan but her husband did not travel to the UK and it was claimed they were now divorced.
Her visa expired in February 2011, and in March 2015 she travelled to Ireland, where she applied for asylum before moving to an asylum accommodation centre in Killarney.
The couple claimed they were living at 9, Riveroaks, Ballaghaderreen, and produced an electricity bill as proof of their address. The bill was genuine, but Garda Ó Somachain told the previous court that the account was only registered from May 16, 2015, until June 18, 2015.
The mobile phone they provided was only used by the couple from May 16, 2015 to July 9, 2015, and had also been used by five ‘alleged couples’ who all resided in the east Mayo and west Roscommon area.
Last week’s court was told that Arminia gives Ms Mir money and provides her with food.
Judge Devins commented that the matter would ‘merit further investigation’. The judge convicted Mr Arminia and fined him €150.
Ms Mir’s matters were put back to September 21 awaiting a community service suitability report.