Inverness soldier's plea for daughter to be allowed to live in UK
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A DEDICATED British soldier is being denied the chance to be reunited with his daughter despite a decade in uniform serving across the world including in Afghanistan and Iraq.
A Home Office ruling maintains that Denis Omandi has failed to provide sufficient evidence he has spent enough time with his daughter, despite the fact he has full legal custody of her, provides her with full financial support and, he argues, spends as much time with her as his duties allow.
Originally from Kenya, Mr Omandi (40) joined the British Army as a Commonwealth soldier and is now based with 3 Scots at Fort George.
He lives in married quarters in Inverness with wife Shelagh (43) and stepsons Dylan and Lewis and was not aware that a university romance had led to the birth of his daughter Annceline, known as Ann, until she was eight years old.
He was told while on active duty in Afghanistan but travelled to Kenya to meet her immediately afterwards and, while delighted to make contact, was initially content to allow her to remain with her mother.
This changed, however, when Ann’s mother met another man, as tribal customs do not support women bringing children into a new relationship and agreement was quickly reached to give him custody of her.
Now 14, Ann spends most of her time at boarding school in Kenya and Mr Omandi is desperate to bring her to live with him and his new family.
“I love my daughter and I feel like I am letting her down,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter how much I support her financially or how much stuff I buy her, she feels lonely and has no place to call home. I just want to be a dad.”
Mr Omandi is currently away on training south of the border, but his wife says the strain on him is obvious.
“He loves living in Scotland, this is his home now and it breaks his heart that he may end up leaving a career he loves, but I know he’d go back to Kenya to care for Ann if he has no other choice,” she said.
“I met Denis in 2014. On that first meeting we discussed his daughter and I was immediately struck by how much he regretted not being able to spend more time with her, how proud he was of her and how much love he showed for her.
Mrs Omandi said the visa process has cost the family thousands of pounds so far and they are now pinning their hopes on Inverness MP Drew Hendry pressing for a rethink.
Due to raise the matter at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons yesterday Mr Hendry said: “It is a disgrace that we have a situation where a citizen of this country, serving in the British Army, is being prevented from having his daughter come live with him and her family here, despite the fact that he has full custody of her.
“Rather than working to keep this father and daughter apart the Home Office and, indeed, the MoD, should be doing everything they can to bring this family together.
“Denis visits Ann as much as he can. It beggars belief how they expect a serving soldier who has done a tour in Afghanistan and Iraq to also be in Kenya with his daughter.”
He added: “I have no intention of letting the minister off the hook. He has discretion to overturn this decision and I would encourage everyone to get behind this family – it is the very least they deserve from us.”
