Displaying items by tag: BBC investigation

The BBC has exposed evidence of widespread abuse and torture by TB Joshua, the founder of one of the world's largest Christian evangelical churches, the Synagogue Church of All Nations. The two-year investigation revealed multiple eyewitness accounts of physical violence, torture, child abuse, and individuals being whipped and chained by him. Many women reported sexual assault, with some claiming repeated rape over the years within the compound. Forced abortions allegedly followed the rapes, with one woman claiming five terminations. Additionally, there were accounts of Joshua staging fake ‘miracle healings’ in broadcasts to millions worldwide. One British victim, Rae, shared her harrowing experience of being sexually assaulted, enduring solitary confinement for two years, and attempting suicide multiple times. The church did not respond to these allegations but has previously denied similar claims. Joshua died in 2021: his church, now led by his wife, still attracts pilgrims from around the world.

If an illegal migrant woman gives birth to a child fathered by a British citizen, the baby is automatically British. The mother can then apply for a family visa, remain in the UK, and eventually apply for UK citizenship. Scammers are touting for British men on Facebook and offering them £10,000 to add their names to birth certificates to help pregnant migrants stay in the UK. Facebook says its rules ban this. A BBC investigator posing as an illegal pregnant migrant was told by an agent he had British men who could be fake fathers in a ‘full package’ for £11,000, saying the process is ‘very easy’ and he would get the child a UK passport and ‘concoct a convincing backstory to successfully dupe the authorities’.