17th July, 2018
A travel agent, Folake Morakinyo, 48, on Tuesday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court over alleged N840,000 visa fraud.
Morakinyo, who resides at Oko-Oba in Agege, Lagos, is standing trial on a three-count charge of obtaining money under false pretences, conspiracy and stealing.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Insp. Abiola Adewale, told the court that the accused committed the offences, with others still at large, in August 2017 on Ekoro Road, Ikeja.
“Morakinyo obtained N840,000 from the complainant, Mr Ibrahim Nurudeen, on the pretext of assisting him to secure a Canadian visa,” he told the court.
Adewale said that the accused intentionally conspired with the others to swindle the complainant and failed to procure the visa.
The offences contravene Sections 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The Magistrate, Mr Salami Adewale, granted the accused N150, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case until Aug. 2, for mention.