On Tuesday 23 February, Kingsley Okeiyi, the director of Aminex Security Services Limited was found guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court for providing an unlicensed guard.
The court heard that at the beginning of September 2014 when SIA investigation officers enquired about the staff working at Aminex Security Services Limited, the staff list Okeiyi provided listed an unlicensed guard. This amounted to an offence under section 5 of the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA) 2001.
SIA investigators later visited a site Aminex Security were contracted to work at and interviewed Lucky Okeiyi, the same security guard. During this visit the investigation officers obtained a timesheet which proved exactly when Lucky Okeiyi was carrying out licensable activities without a licence.
As director, Kingsley Okeiyi was liable under section 23 of the PSIA for consent, connivance or neglect in deploying an unlicensed guard. Although the SIA investigation team gave Kingsley Okeiyi several opportunities to respond to the allegations of deploying an unlicensed security guard, all contact was ignored.
District Judge Mace issued a guilty verdict and said that Kingsley Okeiyi had provided no satisfactory explanation to the evidence put before him. Consequently for the section 5 and section 23 offences, Kingsley Okeiyi was fined £500 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £50 and costs of £500. The Judge also commented that the fine and costs she issued took into consideration the financial circumstances of Mr Okeiyi, and his ability to pay.
Nathan Salmon, SIA Investigations Manager said:
“It is important to note that the charges relate to six shifts whereby offences were committed and the sentence imposed by the Court reflect that breaches of the PSIA are considered unacceptable. The business is no longer operating and Mr Okeiyi’s actions have prevented him from being able to continue to work in the private security industry.”