A man who used a false CSCS card to work on UK construction sites has been sentenced to six months’ jail, following an investigation by the Home Office and CITB.
Gideon Emeka Okafor, a 23-year-old Nigerian man, was sentenced last Thursday at Sheffield Crown Court.
Okafor was arrested in November 2016 and charged with using a fake French national identification card to obtain a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card in August 2015. It’s understood he then used the fake card to work illegally on construction sites in London for over a year.
Okafor was caught following a Home Office investigation into his false documentation. It was supported with information from the CITB confirming that a card had been issued in the name of “Patrice Beziat”, Okafor’s alias.
Ian Sidney, a fraud manager at CITB and former police superintendent, said: “CITB is working closely with the Home Office to keep fraud out of construction. We hope that the sentencing of this young man sends a message loud and clear to fraudsters – there’s no place for you in the construction industry and you will be caught.
“The case also highlights the need for employers to be vigilant in checking workers’ documentation and to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. Fraudsters on construction sites present a danger to themselves and others and we need to work together to stamp this activity out.”
