16th March, 2019
By Paul Iyoghojie
A 36-year old man who claimed to be Visa agent, Chris Ronald has been arrested and charged to court for allegedly obtaining the sum of N5.7m from two complainants, Joseph Nnoruka and Aniamalu Basil on the pretext to procure Canadian Visa and documents for them to travel abroad.
Police alleged that the accused, instead procured fake Canadian Visa and documents for the complainants which led to their deportation back to Nigeria on their way to Canada.
Ronald, a resident of Oduduwa Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos was arrested by the Police at the Bar Beach Division, Victoria Island, Lagos and arraigned before the Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four-count of obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.
Police Counsel, Cyriacus Osuji told the court that the accused committed the offence between December, 2018 and January, 2019 in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Osuji informed the court that the accused introduced himself to the complainants as a Visa agent, tricked and collected the sum of N3.9m from Joseph Maduabuchi Nnoruka and N1.8m from Aniamalu Basil to procure Canadian Visa and documents for them.
He said that the accused, after collecting the money from the complainants, went and procured fake Canadian Visa for them which led to their deportation on transit back to Nigeria on their way to Canada.
Osuji said that the offences, the accused committed were punishable under sections 411, 314 and 287 of the Criminal all Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge in the court and Magistrate M.O Ope Agbe granted him bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Ope Agbe adjourned the case till 21 March, 2019 for mention and ordered that the defendant be confined to Ikoyi Prison, Lagos till he fulfilled the bail conditions.