In many ways the story of Ndumbe Achile Ndumbe encapsulates some of the most pressing problems facing Britain today – immigration, a ballooning benefits bill and the enforcement of law and order.

Born in Cameroon, the 41-year-old came here as a student and stayed.

But rather than repay the hospitality the country afforded him, he chose instead to exploit it for his own personal gain.

Setting himself up as a landlord, Ndumbe purchased a string of rundown properties in the north of England.

He then set about trying to extract the maximum amount of money that he could from them by renting out rooms to often desperate and vulnerable members of the community.

Three-bed houses had up to eight people crammed into them, with each charged up to £800 a month.

Ndumbe, well-dressed and with a fleet of expensive cars, is said to have even installed cameras around the houses – through which he would communicate with his tenants, shouting and rebuking them if they put a foot out of line.

'He made our lives a living hell,' a young woman, who was moved by him between three of his properties, told the Daily Mail this week.

'He was horrible, nasty and really rude. He thought he was the boss and he controlled us all. We were all vulnerable. He knew we would struggle to find anywhere else to live. We weren't on the council list and we couldn't find private rentals because we didn't have a guarantor. 

'Every property he had, had a camera. And if he saw something he didn't like he would talk to us through it, telling us 'stop doing that' or, if we had visitors, saying 'right, they need to go now'.

'We had no privacy. It was awful but he had us wrapped around his little finger and knew exactly what he was doing.'

Worse was to come.

In July 2024 he was arrested by police on suspicion of rape.

An examination of his electronic devices suggested that there could be other victims.

But, as the Sunday Times revealed earlier this week, despite this, he was released on bail.

In January, Ndumbe is believed to have flown back to Africa from Manchester airport, leaving a trail of unpaid debts and fines – not to mention the alleged victims who may now never get justice.

A number of the properties owned by Ndumbe were sold at auction at the end of last year.

Questions are being asked about how he was able to exit the UK so easily.

Despite having previously travelled between Britain and Cameroon, his passport was not confiscated.

Ndumbe also stands accused of illegally claiming benefits, reportedly to the tune of £180,000.

As the owner of a portfolio of properties, the details of which are publicly available for anyone to see on the Land Registry, he was not entitled to means-tested benefits. And yet he was able to claim housing benefit and Universal Credit.

To add insult to injury, it is understood that even after returning to Cameroon he continued to receive £200 a month in personal independence payment (PIP) for mental health problems and a 'bad back'.

'It's a joke,' said a second, former tenant. 'We were the ones struggling to make ends meet to pay a rich landlord his rent and now we hear that at the same time he was able to claim hundreds of pounds a month in benefits.'

Another source familiar with the case added: 'This case represents and highlights multiple failures in the system, across the police, the border and DWP. How was he allowed to leave the country in the first place while being investigated for rape?'

Precisely when Ndumbe arrived in Britain is unclear. But according to his Facebook account he was raised in the coastal city of Limbe, in Cameroon where he studied for a biochemistry degree.

In 2007 the then 22-year-old claims to have begun a three-year science degree at the University of Bolton. Last week the Home Office refused to comment on how he entered the country or his immigration status.

According to Ndumbe's entry on LinkedIn, that was followed by healthcare work in the Manchester area and then a part-time MBA, a graduate-level degree focused on business management.

Despite describing himself as an 'experienced Mental Health Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and health care industry', the Nursing and Midwifery Council say that he is not currently registered as a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.

About a decade ago, Ndumbe started managing and investing in rental properties in the conurbations around Wigan. It is thought he had a portfolio of six houses. These included a £60,000 end-of-terrace property in Platt Bridge bought without a mortgage in 2019. He also owned at least three other properties in Leigh, a town which had Andy Burnham as its constituency MP between 2001 and 2017.

These included two side-by-side £140,000 semis in Castle Grove and a £90,000 mid-terrace property in nearby Hope Street. Despite their size and condition, Ndumbe – who was known by the name Ash – did everything he could to maximise his income from them.

'He preyed on those who were vulnerable and desperate and targeted those who didn't have families to prop them up,' said a neighbour of the Hope Street house.

'He charged £700 or £800 for a small room. Somebody was living in the living room, someone was in the box room – which was tiny - someone was in the back bedroom and someone else in the attic, which hadn't been properly converted. He was a proper bad man. You could tell he had money. He'd turn up here in brand new cars. I was delighted when he disappeared.'

Another one-time Hope Street inhabitant added: 'It had three bedrooms which two people shared. Then there were two people sleeping in the living room. He was charging £700 a room. The house wasn't big enough for all of us to live there.'

The former tenant who was moved between all three properties said of the same property: 'Me and my ex had the downstairs living room as our bedroom. We paid around £600 for our room. There was a camera in the kitchen so he could see if we had parties.

'One night while we were asleep in bed, our window got a brick through it. It turned out they had targeted the wrong person – a former tenant. We rang Ash that night to tell him what had happened. But he told us we had to pay for the broken window. He accused us, saying it was our fault and we had to give him money every month towards getting it fixed or he would kick us out.'

She said the house wasn't well kept: 'There were maggots in the kitchen and a toilet just off the kitchen – which was really unpleasant if you were cooking.'

A move to the Platt Bridge property saw her rent increase to £700.

'It was a really dodgy place,' she said. 'Ash was constantly turning up so we got no peace. Sometimes he would just park outside in his car watching us. It was a red Range Rover type SUV. There was also a camera in that property. Then he'd come in and pretend to fix things that needed fixing, like the shower, but after he'd gone the issue would still be there.'

Under the law, landlords renting a property to five or more people who are not from the same household have to apply for an HMO, or house in multiple occupation, licence from the local authority.

In October 2023, inspectors from Wigan Council visited the Castle Grove and Hope Street properties and found evidence of five people living in each – meaning they should have been licensed.

Despite his protestations that there were only four tenants, Ndumbe was duly fined £26,486 for failing to register them. He appealed against the penalty to a property tribunal.

At the hearing, which heard evidence of water leaks and inadequate smoke alarms, Ndumbe claimed by way of mitigation that he was suffering from mental health problems and asthma. He also claimed that one of his two sons was ill.

The tribunal upheld the original decisions and fines, finding that 'despite his denials [Ndumbe] knew that each property had five occupants but ignored the need to get licences... [he] compounded matters by producing false documents and calling into question the honesty of the occupiers who provided witness statements'.

By then Ndumbe was being investigated by police over the rape allegation. Having been arrested, his electronic devices were seized, including a phone, laptop and camcorder. After examining those devices, police found evidence of possible sexual offences against other women and expanded their investigation. He has been on bail since.

It is understood that his passport was not surrendered because police did not have the grounds to meet conditions necessary to justify such a request.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police would only say that detectives investigating reports of rape had arrested a suspect and that their inquiries were actively continuing.

During the course of the various investigations into Ndumbe, the council and the DWP became aware that he had not declared his wealth. Many means-tested benefits require claimants to have assets of less than £16,000.

Ndumbe is facing charges relating to a claim for a council tax discount between June 2018 and June 2024, as well as a fraudulent claim for Universal Credit dating back to 2021. Another charge relates to an unlawful eviction.

It is understood the DWP is seeking to reclaim more than £180,000 through a Proceeds of Crime Order secured through the High Court.

At least three of Ndumbe's properties were put up for auction and sold in the weeks and months prior to him leaving the country.

Individuals claiming PIP who move abroad can continue to receive payments for 13 weeks while living abroad. The DWP last night confirmed that Ndumbe is no longer receiving any benefits.

As for the fine imposed by Wigan Council, that has not been paid.

A council spokesman said: 'Wigan Council are working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to recover the money owed and we are confident that this money will be paid. We are unable to comment further on this process as this is a legal matter. The council takes reports of rogue landlords very seriously and we will continue to investigate and take action wherever we can.'

He appealed for anyone who had been affected by Ndumbe's actions, or who knew of his whereabouts, to get in touch.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest and police are understood to be in contact with the authorities in Cameroon in an attempt to locate him and bring him back to the UK.

In the meantime, the list of those who want to speak with him grows longer by the day.

'He should be made to pay us back money for what he's done,' said the female tenant.

'We deserve compensation - I still have nightmares about it.'