A SENIOR Home Office immigration officer has been suspended after allegations that he offered to help an 18-year-old Zimbabwean rape victim obtain asylum in the UK if she had sex with him.

James Dawute, 53, who works at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in London, allegedly told the girl: “I know how to win your case . . . I can handle it, don’t worry,” before asking her to go to a hotel with him for sex.

The immigration centre at Lunar House in Croydon, south London, was the subject of a separate “sex for visas” scandal in January, prompting an inquiry into whether immigration officials were trading favours for sex.

Dawute is alleged to have signalled to a security guard to bring the girl forward after seeing her waiting at the centre. He is said to have passed her his telephone number on a piece of paper and asked for her number in return.

He then signed forms allowing the girl to claim emergency accommodation. According to the girl, Dawute called her two days later, saying he liked her and wanted to meet to discuss her application.

At the meeting in a Croydon noodle bar the immigration officer was recorded by reporters from The Observer as he told the girl he wanted to take her to a hotel to have sex and indicated he might be able to help her application.

When questioned by the girl as to how she could be assured Dawute could honour such claims, he replied: “I know how to win your case.”

The father-of-four did not make any claim that he would break any rules, but an attempt to initiate a relationship and imply he could assist her case would breach immigration service guidelines.

When confronted by the paper Dawute is said to have claimed he was simply trying to put the girl in touch with an immigration charity.

Last night the Home Office said: “A Home Office official has been suspended pending an investigation. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate expects a high level of integrity from staff and any suspicions of corruption are investigated.”

Three officials from Lunar House admitted having sex with visa applicants earlier this year. One of the men was dismissed, the second resigned and the third was disciplined internally. An official inquiry concluded in March there was no evidence of a “sex for visas” racket at the centre.

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