Billionaire may face prosecution over fake marriage claim

A BILLIONAIRE businessman who claimed that his marriage was fake in an attempt to protect his fortune has been told by a High Court judge he could face prosecution.

Asif Aziz, who is in his 40s, says he and Tagilde Aziz, who were both born abroad, obtained a fake marriage certificate so that a child they had adopted could obtain a passport.

Mrs Aziz, who is in her 50s, disputes his claim and says they were married, were together for 20 years and she is entitled to a “fair share” of the £1.1billion marital pot.

Richard Harrison QC, for Mr Aziz, told Mr Justice Moor that Mrs Aziz said a Muslim ceremony of marriage had taken place in Malawi in 2002.

Mr Justice Moor, who is analysing the case at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, is expected to make rulings about the validity of the marriage following a trial in the near future.

The judge told Mr Aziz that issues may have to be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the light of his fake marriage certificate claims.