Stop the deportation of whistleblower Kweku Adoboli

by Kweku Adoboli

Stop the deportation of whistleblower Kweku Adoboli

by Kweku Adoboli
Kweku Adoboli
Case Owner
We are the friends and family of Kweku Adoboli. We are raising funds to continue the legal battle to #KeepKweku here in the UK.
Funded
on 20th August 2018
£21,674
pledged of £60,000 stretch target from 707 pledges
Kweku Adoboli
Case Owner
We are the friends and family of Kweku Adoboli. We are raising funds to continue the legal battle to #KeepKweku here in the UK.

Latest: Nov. 13, 2018

Kweku was detained again on 12th Nov, this is the 11th hour...

As we feared Kweku was detained on the 12th November 2018. He was transported immediately to Harmondsworth immigration centre near Heathrow.

His lawyers Jacqueline Mackenzie, Phil Haywood, and Sonali …

Read more

Kweku urgently needs your help to raise funds in the legal fight to reverse the Home Office decision to remove him from the country within days. Please contribute anything you can to support his efforts and share this page on with your friends, family and colleagues. 

An order has been made this week, at the request of the Home Office, to detain and deport him from the UK. These extraordinary and aggressive steps have purposefully sped up the deportation process in order to deny Kweku the right to any further fair process. 

This abuse of rules is just one example of a Hostile Environment Policy that has already proven itself to be cruel and unjust. 


Who is Kweku
Kweku Adoboli moved to the UK 26 years ago, at the age of 12, and has lived here ever since. The Home Office is aggressively trying to deport him to Ghana, away from the country he calls home and his closest friends. We, his friends in the UK, are his family. He is godfather to 7 of our children, was Best Man at 3 of our weddings, helps us push wheelchairs up mountains, and is our best friend, brother and son. 

Double punishment - The case we are fighting
In 2011, Kweku accepted responsibility for a large trading loss at Swiss Investment Bank UBS. Whilst he was cleared of the majority of charges against him, it was clear his actions had nothing to do with trying to achieve personal financial gain. He served his sentence as a model prisoner and for the last three years has been doing outstanding work of benefit both to industry and community. 

Convicted of a finance offence, posing no threat to his society, Kweku faces the draconian double punishment of being deported from the UK. The consequences of his removal to Ghana are severe and will include a potential lifetime ban on travelling not just back to the UK, but to Europe, North America and many other countries.

Why is this important
Given the frequency of organisational scandals in recent years, Kweku's story offers a powerful and relevant living case study. Through his work, Kweku is challenging senior leaders and organisations to go beyond stereotypes of 'bad apples' to consider how context and environment shape decision making. Kweku is in a unique position to do this but is being prevented from doing so by the Home Office.

Genuinely thoughtful, honest and open conversations about difficult issues are crucial to public life. Unfortunately, very few people are willing or able to do this. It is important not to deport Kweku not just for the fact that he is more British than foreign, but because his work is of value to the public interest.



More British than foreign - What are we trying to achieve?
We're trying to stop Kweku being deported, separating him from his loved ones, and destroying his identity. In his recent review into immigration detention, Stephen Shaw stated: 

"In short, I fnd the policy of removing individuals brought up here from infancy to be deeply troubling. For low-risk offenders, it seems entirely disproportionate to tear them away from their lives, families and friends in the UK ... The Home Office should no longer routinely seek to remove those [more British than foreign] who were born in the UK or have been brought up here from an early age." - Shaw Review of Immigration Detention

How did our law come to be so discriminatory? If you have little connection with the country of your birth, and the majority of your childhood and life is spent here how can it be fair or just to remove you? It is vindictive to separate people from their loved ones and the society that has moulded them. Winning Kweku's case will help protect others from suffering the same mistreatment.

We need your support
We are raising funds to take the following legal steps:

  1. Apply for an order barring removal from the UK
  2. Lodge a renewal of our application for Judicial Review
  3. Pay disbursement costs (such as court fees)
  4. Build a legal team to prepare the substantive Judicial Review challenging the Hostile Environment policy

We need your support. Please contribute, share this page, and write to your MP and the Home Secretary.

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Update 10

Kweku Adoboli

Nov. 13, 2018

Kweku was detained again on 12th Nov, this is the 11th hour...

As we feared Kweku was detained on the 12th November 2018. He was transported immediately to Harmondsworth immigration centre near Heathrow.

His lawyers Jacqueline Mackenzie, Phil Haywood, and Sonali Naik QC have made applications to the Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal yesterday and today to ask for a stay on his removal and a reconsideration of the devastating decision made by UT Vice Presidenet  Mark Ockelton on the 24th of October.  We are awaiting news.

We continue to fight that Kweku’s case is an opportunity to end the willful discrimination levied against those born outside the UK but who have lived here for all or most of their lives. Stephen Shaw, former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, recommended in a recent Government review that the Home Office must no longer seek to deport those foreign national offenders more British than foreign, born or brought up here from a young age. It is time to change this practice.

We have reason to believe that the Home Office will attempt to remove him from the UK in the next week or two. We are so grateful for the ongoing support as we need your urgent help to raise more funds to keep fighting whatever happens. 


Please note: Crowdjustice funds are transferred directly to the legal team and are legal costs only. Deportation appeals are expensive but if we are lucky enough to have leftover funds, for example, if we raise more than required or we win and are able to recovers costs, as per Crowdjustice T+C's these funds can be transferred to a similar case or donated to the Access to Justice Foundation. In this case we would hope to be able to transfer funds to Jacqueline Mackenzie as a leading human rights and Windrush lawyer. 

Update 9

Kweku Adoboli

Nov. 12, 2018

Will Kweku be detained again today?!

Detained again?
We have reason to believe that Kweku will be detained again today as the Home Office will attempt to remove him from the UK on a charter deportation flight in the next week or two. We need your urgent help to raise more funds to keep fighting whatever happens.

Urgent Applications to the Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal
This morning (Monday 12th November) his lawyers Jacqueline Mackenzie, Phil Haywood, and Sonali Naik QC will be making applications to the Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal to ask for a stay on his removal and a reconsideration of the devastating decision made by UT Vice Presidenet  Mark Ockelton on the 24th of October.

Hard Month
Since his release from detention a month ago, Kweku's lawyers have been working extremely hard to make his case to the Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal. Unfortunately the Home Office's arguments to the Upper Tribunal cast Kweku's lawyers, MP, girlfriend, friends and family as dishonest and influenced Judge Ockelton to make a deeply offensive and irrational ruling against Kweku and, effectively, all of us too. 

Reviewing the Latest Rulings
Since Ockelton's ruling nearly three weeks ago, Kweku's lawyers have been burning the candle at both ends to seek a review of these decisions. The latest setbacks came this weekend as both the UT and CoA felt compelled to uphold Judge Ockelton's decision. We believe in doing so both have made basic errors in law and the facts of the case. Today's applications are to request a review in the strongest terms possible. 

This case is about so much more than just Kweku as we fight to protect all our human rights. We need your urgent help to keep up this fight. Please share this CrowdJustice page to your friends, families and networks so we can #KeepKweku

A Second Chance at Life
Here is a photo of Kweku and Alice on the Glasgow Subway after his last reporting session in Glasgow last Monday. Please help us keep them together. #KeepKweku


Update 8

Kweku Adoboli

Oct. 12, 2018

Kweku released (for now) after 36 days in detention

On Tuesday afternoon 9th October 2018, on the 3rd attempt, Kweku was awarded bail and allowed to return home to Scotland. These 36 days of detention have been exhausting, stressful and unnecessary, not only for Kweku but many friends, family, legal and political representatives who have worked tirelessly to get him released. This would have been impossible without the funds this page has generated to support the extensive legal work this generates. We are so grateful!

Kweku and his legal team will be back in Court on October 23rd at the Upper Tribunal Immigration & Asylum Chamber. The purpose of the hearing will be to determine if we will be granted permission to bring a substantive Judicial Review. We will argue why this case has merit and should be heard. No doubt, the Home Office will counter this aggressively so we have work to do.

With love and thanks,

The Keep Kweku team

Update 7

Kweku Adoboli

Oct. 3, 2018

Day 30 of detention

Dear friends and supporters of KeepKweku,

Kweku has now been detained for a month. Since the 18th September, when a judge granted a Judicial Review hearing into the Home Office treatment of his case, the Home Office is taking an aggressive stance and manipulating the process.

What this means is that our need for funding support is increasing at every turn as these Home Office actions are creating ever higher legal costs. We would be extremely grateful, if you haven't already if you could ask friends, families and networks to support this cause and share this link  especially as it becomes increasingly obvious that this is becoming an important legal test case for non-violent, long term resident people living in the UK.

We thank you again for your continued support,

With love and thanks from the small Keep Kweku team.

Update 6

Kweku Adoboli

Sept. 21, 2018

Next hurdle: Still detained - Day 18 and counting!

Thank you for your continued support in Kweku's legal battle to fight deportation from his home.

Despite being told that Kweku would be put on a plane to Ghana, he was granted a last minute injunction and his deportation is no longer imminent.

However, Kweku has now been held in a detention centre for over 18 days, and with a judicial review pending (which even if expedited, will take months to complete), we need to get him out on bail, back home and with his friends and loved ones.

On Wednesday, the Home Office denied bail, based on pedantic technicalities, and a tribunal has now been scheduled for Tuesday 25/09 to decide bail.

Even with 74,000 petition signatories, over 130 MPs / MSPs and an amazing 600+ donations for Legal funds, the Home Office remains hell bent on ignoring our voices in pursuit of their unjust immigration policy. Simply put an unjust law is no law at all. With your continued support we will fight this wilful institutional neglect as “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and it never will.”

To keep abreast of the ongoing fight against Kweku's deportation, follow us on:

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KeepKweku

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KeepKweku/

Update 5

Kweku Adoboli

Sept. 18, 2018

Last minute reprieve (for now)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

At the 11th hour yesterday, the 18th September 2018, a judge granted an injunction essentially putting Kweku's deportation temporarily on hold until the outcome of the Judicial Review his lawyers lodged yesterday is determined.

This is all down to you, whether your donated £1 or £100s pounds, Kweku would not be in the UK today without your support BUT our fight is far from over,  we will have to win the Judicial Review to overturn the decision. Meanwhile, Kweku is still being detained, his lawyers have already submitted a request for him to be released while the Judicial Review process is happening.

Today your support really made a difference. We fight on! 


Update 4

Kweku Adoboli

Sept. 17, 2018

Kweku earmarked for a flight tomorrow - 18th September

We understand that Kweku has been earmarked for a flight around 4am on September 18th and, thanks to your support, the legal team have been working round the clock to try and stop this.

On Thursday, the 16-page fresh claim supported by over 150 pages of evidence presented was been rejected by those representing the Home Secretary, as not having a realistic prospect of success before a Tribunal. Those representing the Home Secretary go further, stating that the work Kweku is doing in the community and with businesses, his relationship (with a dual-national British and EU citizen) and the overwhelming public support for him to remain in the UK, raise nothing new. They took this conclusion even though this information was not included in his original appeal before the first tier and upper tier tribunals.

Jacqui McKenzie’s team is now preparing the grounds of a Judicial Review which will be lodged today (Monday 17 September 2018) at the upper tribunal, on substantive grounds, but also seeking an injunction to stop Kweku’s removal on Tuesday’s charter flight. Kweku’s lawyers argue that the law states that there must be ‘compelling reasons’ to override the public interest in favour of deportation and that public interest is not immutable, despite case law. If public interest can increase with aggravating contextual factors, it can also subside when there are countervailing ‘compelling reasons’. Kweku’s lawyers are therefore arguing that the evidence adduced in his favour has not been appropriately considered.

In parallel to these efforts we have mobilised a political campaign which saw 132 MPs sign an open letter to the Home Secretary appealing the deportation and continue to pursue requests for the cross party representative group to meet with the Home Secretary.

We will continue to push that the Home Secretary can still be persuaded listen to the facts, respond to public opinion, make the right, humane decision and keep Kweku off the plane.

Update 3

Kweku Adoboli

Sept. 6, 2018

We want Kweku out of detention!

Hello from Keep Kweku headquarters. It’s been a busy few days.

Thanks to the incredible support and your donations, Kweku’s lawyers have now submitted a fresh claim to the Home Office presenting updated grounds upon which Kweku’s deportation should be revoked. At the same time, the legal team have applied for bail to request that Kweku can return home while these legal processes play out. Team Kweku visited Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre yesterday, it’s an oppressive place and we want Kweku back home where he belongs.

We’ve been endlessly surprised by Kweku’s strength and dignity in the face of this process, which is designed to dehumanise. He remains tired, but hopeful, and so grateful for this incredible support.


Other ways you can help:

1) Write, email and tweet to Sajid Javid, the UK Home Secretary to ask for him to revoke Kweku's deportation.

2) Contact your MP to express any concerns you may have on the Home Office's attempts to deport Kweku who is making a real and positive impact to address the systemic problems in our financial sector or their attempts to deport yet another person who came to the UK as a child, all in the name of British public interest

3) Join the 70000+ people who have signed a petition to stop Kweku's deportation: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-deportation-of-whistleblower-kweku-adoboli

4) Share and spread the word #keepkweku, @your community leaders, @your MP, @your friends...

Update 2

Kweku Adoboli

Sept. 3, 2018

Kweku has been detained!

Kweku reported to Livingston Police Station this morning – September 3 - he was held by the police for questioning. It was initially hoped that he would be released after any interview, but he has now been detained and taken to Scotland’s infamous Dungaval Immigration Removal Centre at Strathaven and The Home Office has indicated its intention to deport him on or soon after September 10th.  

His lawyer, Jacqueline McKenzie, is in the final stages of preparing a fresh claim submission which will be lodged with the Home Office later today. We remain hopeful  that he Home Secretary will have the common sense not to deport an individual that is so obviously an asset to our community. We will keep you posted of developments via Twitter - https://twitter.com/KeepKweku and Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KeepKweku/

Update 1

Kweku Adoboli

Aug. 20, 2018

Kweku is Home for now!

Hello everyone,

A world of gratitude
We are so pleased to tell you that Kweku was able to check in to the Home Office and return home this afternoon. We are pretty certain that this would not have been possible without the interventions made by his Lawyer Jacqueline Mackenzie, Hannah Bardell MP, and the incredible support you shown for this campaign.Hannah Bardell's MP's engagement with Police Scotland was critical to this outcome. We are hugely grateful for that.

As you know, this case matters because the UK has been Kweku's home for the 26 years since he came here as a child. We continue to believe the Government must not deport him and are grateful for your generous support and powerful comments.

With your help we’ve made good progress towards our stretch target goal of £60,000 necessary to help #KeepKweku and bring a wider challenge to the UK's Hostile Environment policies. But we still have a way to go. 

Will you help give us a big push to spread the word? https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/keepkweku/

Update on Legal Steps
Representations have been made to the Home Secretary by Kweku's MP Hannah Bardell and MSP Andy Wightman. We await a response about their intentions for Kweku. We have all asked for the Home Secretary Sajid Javid to exercise his discretion and bring an end to this action.

Meanwhile Kweku's lawyers are continuing to prepare legal representations. They and Kweku have been working all weekend to ensure the worst did not happen today.

Your support is giving us all hope that we can find a positive resolution but there is still so much to do. If you, and everyone who has donated, could ask one or two other people to give, it would make a massive difference. 

Please could you take a couple of minutes to:

  • Email five friends who care about this issue and ask them to help
  • Post the link on Facebook and/or Twitter!  https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/keepkweku/
  • Mention it to two friends over the next few days, and explain to them where to read more about the case and how to support it https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/keepkweku/

Thank you all so much - we’ll keep you updated on our progress.

With love,
Kweku's friends and family


Below are some links to media coverage of this case over the last few days.

BBC Radio 4 Today starting at 2:36:00: Deportation is designed to protect the UK from risk of harm, not serve as a double punishment. Kweku presents no risk to the British Public and has lived here since childhood.

Financial Times: “Little has more impact than someone talking candidly about their mistakes,” Mr Grodecki said. “Kweku does it with rare generosity and insight. Nothing replicates the impact of him helping others in person and in detail.”

The Guardian: “The home secretary is, like me, a former banker. He knows what change we need to deliver in this industry. He should recognise the devastating human cost to me of being deported to Ghana.”

CommonSpace: "While I’m proud of my dual heritage, I shouldn’t have to choose between the two, and I shouldn’t be separated from the friends and family that are central to my identity."

Financial News: "He served his sentence as a model prisoner and for the last three years has been doing outstanding work of benefit both to industry and community."

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