Religious leader pleads guilty to allowing two 16-year-olds to marry at a Northampton mosque
A religious leader has pleaded guilty to allowing two 16-year-olds to marry at a mosque and he will be sentenced at Northampton Crown Court next month.
Ashraf Osmani, aged 52, of Abington Avenue, entered guilty pleas to two counts of carrying out conduct for the purpose of causing a child to enter into marriage before their 18th birthday. There was one count for each child, one boy and one girl.
The 52-year-old was charged in August this year according to Northamptonshire Police, and their statement outlined that he conducted a Nikah marriage ceremony at Northampton Central Mosque where is the serving Imam – the Mosque’s most senior Muslim cleric.
Osmani appeared in Northampton Magistrates’ Court for the first time on September 11, when the case was adjourned and he was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing on Thursday October 9.
After Osmani entered his guilty pleas on Thursday morning, prosecutor Daniel Paulson told the court that there was no element of force or coercive behaviour involved in the ceremony, and it was at the request of the girl, who was 16 at the time.
The court heard that the girl had been contacting multiple mosques to conduct a Nikah marriage ceremony and was rejected by all the others.
Defence barrister Waqar Ali told the court Osmani was not aware of this at the time of the offence.
The family of the 16-year-old girl found the marriage certificate in her room and were persuaded by her that it was fake until they saw photographs of the ceremony on social media. Police were then alerted.
Mr Paulson told the court Osmani did not know it was an offence. Osmani had not done this in the past and had not since, Mr Paulson said, but said Osmani should have been aware of any changes to the law.
The judge outlined that the law was in place to protect children and it was Osmani’s duty to know and check as a significant figure with trust and authority. The court heard that although it was not a legally binding Nikah ceremony, it would have a long-term impact.
Mr Ali outlined the impact this offence has had on Osmani, his mosque, community, and the future of his role as an Imam and in teaching roles. Mr Ali later said the error was something Osmani would regret for the rest of his life.
The judge acknowledged that the court saw the offence as an oversight as opposed to intentional, and went on to say it was Osmani’s duty to keep up to date with changes in the law. As a result, the court heard he had failed the safety of the children by carrying out the ceremony.
The judge ordered Osmani to be sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on November 20 and he was released on unconditional bail.