A Championship footballer facing deportation back to Sierra Leone is to be
allowed to stay in the country, the Home Office announced last night.
Al Bangura, 19, who became a father last month, had made a tearful appearance
before fans at Watford’s Vicarage Road ground after his appeal for asylum was
rejected.
Supporters of Watford and Claire Ward, the Labour MP for the town, had
conducted a campaign to persuade the authorities to let him stay.
The campaign had won the backing of Sir Elton John, the former chairman of
Watford, and David Blunkett, the former Home Secretary.
Last night Graham Simpson, the Watford chairman, said: “As a club we are very
happy with the news, but mostly we are delighted for Al and his family.”
Ms Ward said she felt that common sense had prevailed. “This is the right
decision and proves what we have said all along – that Al has an exceptional
case.
“I am delighted that common sense has been reached and thank all those
supporters in Watford and beyond who helped keep up the pressure on the
authorities.”
Mr Bangura, 19, arrived in Britain seeking asylum almost four years ago, and
was granted limited discretionary leave to remain. He says that he lost touch
with his family and settled in England after escaping from the human traffickers
who brought him to Europe.
The Asylum and Immigration tribunal that heard his appeal to stay was told
that Mr Bangura had been trafficked from Sierra Leone at the age of 15 and, upon
arriving in Britain, was the victim of a sexual attack, before seeking refuge as
an unaccompanied minor.
Under cross-examination at the tribunal, Mr Bangura was asked why he said in
media interviews that he had come to Europe to stay with an uncle and that he
had called his mother at least once a week.
Mr Bangura told the court: “That was my first interview. It was a really sad
moment and embarrassing moment for me, that’s all I can say. I was a bit shy.”
Nicholas Jariwalla, cross-examining, accused Mr Bangura of lying about having
contact with his family, and said that he had given different accounts of his
arrival in England.
The tribunal rejected his appeal to remain in the country. Yesterday,
however, he was given a work permit, despite not fitting the Home Office’s usual
criteria for footballers.
Work permits are usually granted to players who have played a certain number
of matches for national sides ranked in the Top 70 by Fifa, football’s governing
body. Sierra Leone is at No 156, and Mr Bangura has yet to be capped for his
country.
However, he appealed to a panel, which comprised three former footballers and
representatives of the Football Association, Football League and Professional
Footballers’ Association, to be allowed to stay. The criteria for their decision
to give him a work permit was whether he was a player of the highest calibre and
if he would contribute to the development of football in England.
A Home Office spokeman confirmed the approval of Mr Bangura’s work permit. It
was granted for the length of his Watford contract, which runs until 2010. The
Home Office spokesman added: “The next stage is to apply for leave to remain in
the UK.”
The announcement that Mr Bangura would be allowed a work permit came hours
after Liam Byrne, the Immigration Minister, said that the public wanted strong
borders and a compassionate immigration system.
He said that while Britain was not antiforeigner, the public wanted stronger
borders. “The public want us to prevent illegal immigration by attacking its
causes.
“The public wants us to hold newcomers to account when they break the rules,
deporting rule breakers where necessary.
“But they also want a compassionate system, which makes and enforces
decisions fast and lets those we need make the contribution they can as long as
they speak English, pay tax and obey the law.”
Gallery 
A Championship footballer facing deportation back to Sierra Leone is to be
allowed to stay in the country, the Home Office announced last night.
