Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe, a 41-year-old Cameroonian landlord, departed the United Kingdom for Africa in January.. He left while facing a police investigation into rape and allegations of misappropriating roughly £180,000 in government benefits.
The £800-a-month squeeze in Greater Manchester
Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe built a property portfolio in the north of England, including a residence in Leigh, Greater Manchester, where he targeted vulnerable individuals. According to reports by the Sunday Times and Daily Mail, Ndumbe frequently overcrowded three-bedroom houses with as many as eight tenants, charging each person up to £800 per month.
Former tenants described a climate of surveillance and intimidation. One woman reported that Ndumbe installed cameras in every property, using them to monitor residents and shout orders or demand that visitors leave. These tenants often felt trapped in these conditions due to a lack of council housing options or the inability to provide a guarantor for other private rentals.
How £180,000 in benefits reached a property owner
Despite owning multiple properties listed on the Land Registry, Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe allegedly claimed approximately £180,000 in means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit and housing benefit. this represents a significant failure in the verification processes of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), as his status as a property owner should have disqualified him from such assistance.
The financial exploitation extended beyond his tenants. As reported by the Sunday Times and Daily Mail, Ndumbe continued to receive £200 a month in personal independence payments for mental health and back issues even after he had returned to Cameroon. This suggests a lack of coordination between border controls and the welfare system to flag the departure of benefit recipients.
A July 2024 arrest that failed to stop a January flight
The legal failures surrounding this case peaked in July 2024, when police arrested Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe on suspicion of rape. Although an examination of his electronic devices indicated the possibility of additional victims, the suspect was released on bail rather than being remanded in custody.
This lapse allowed Ndumbe to fly from Manchester airport back to Africa in January. Because police did not confiscate his passport,he was able to leave the country despite the ongoing criminal investigation, leaving behind unpaid fines, debts, and victims who may now be denied justice. This sequence of events echoes broader concerns regarding the UK's ability to manage high-risk suspects on bail .
The Nursing and Midwifery Council's missing registration
Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe presented himself as a qualified professional, claiming on LinkedIn to be an experienced mental health specialist with an MBA and a science degree from the University of Bolton,which he reportedly began in 2007. However, these credentials appear to be largely fabricated or unverified.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council has confirmed that Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe is not registered as a nurse,midwife, or nursing associate. This discrepancy suggests that the suspect may have used false professional claims to gain trust or employment within the healthcare sector in the Manchester area.
Why the Home Office remains silent on Ndumbe's status
Significant gaps remain in the public record regarding how Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe entered the United Kingdom and the legality of his residency. While his Facebook profile indicates he was raised in Limbe, Cameroon, the Home Office has refused to comment on his immigration status or the specifics of his entry into the country.
It remains unclear why the DWP continued payments to a man who had left the country, or why the police deemed him a low enough flight risk to retain his passport while under investigation for a serious sexual offense. The case highlights a fragmented system where the police, the Home Office, and the DWP operate in silos,allowing a suspected criminal to exit the jurisdiction with ease.
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