14th January, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
Officials of the United States of America Consulate General office in Victoria Island, Lagos have nabbed a man, Chukwukere Chinonye, 26, who claimed to be a Neurologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, with fake documents to obtain a visa.
A Police source said that following the incident, the embassy officials notified the Commissioner of Police, CP in charge of the Police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU, Ikoyi, Ibrahim Lamorde of the development who immediately deployed a team led by ASP Lawal Audu to the embassy to arrest the suspect.
Other suspects arrested for allegedly conniving with Chinonye to procure the fake documents at Oluwole market, Lagos Island were Gabriel Ogbonna, 34 and Osinubi Aderinmola, 34.
The police source said that trouble started for Chinonye when he went to the United States Consulate General office, Victoria Island to submit documents comprising Fidelity Bank statement of accounts with No 6015400941 and LASUTH reference letter dated 13 November, 2017 to obtain United States Non Immigrant Visa knowing full well that the documents were fake.
Nemesis, however, caught up with him when the officials, after perusing the documents discovered that it was fake and his claims that he was a Neurologist was also fake and they invited the Police to arrest him.
During investigation, Chinoye allegedly confessed to the crime and named the other two suspects who allegedly helped him to procure the fake documents for N400,000 at Oluwole Market on Lagos Island.
He led the police to arrest the suspects who also allegedly confessed to the forgery and altering of the documents.
The three suspects were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four-count charge of felony to wit,forgery, altering and impersonation.
Police Counsel, Wewe Adegbayi informed the court in charge No G/3/2018 that the accused persons connived to forge traveling documents and presented same to the USA Embassy to secure a non immigrant visa and were arrested.
Adegbayi said that the offences committed were punishable under sections 409, 363(1), 464(1) and 378(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and Magistrate, W.B Balogun admitted them to bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Balogun adjourned the case till 21 February, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at Ikoyi Prison, till they perfect their bail conditions