Two Remanded Over N3m Visa Fraud

Two suspected visa racketeers Omolabi Akeem, 30, and Jubril Azeez, 24, who allegedly specialises in fleecing unsuspecting members of the public wishing to travel abroad of their money on the pretences of procuring visas for them to travel, have been arrested.

They were arrested by the police in the Adeniji Adele Division and arraigned in the Igbosere magistrate’s court on a three- count charge of obtaining money under false pretence.

The police alleged in the charge sheet that the accused were arrested following a complaints by Kazeem Kareem, Taiwo Akapo and Lukman Amao that the accused obtained N1,450,000, N990,000 and N590,000 from them on the pretence of procuring European and Australian visas for them, a claimed they knew to be false and that all efforts to recover the money from them have failed.

Following the report, the police arrested the accused at a hideout on a tip-off from.

During interrogation, they allegedly confessed to the crime.

After investigation, they were charged to court for stealing, an offence which, according to the prosecutor Sgt. Osijale, is punishable under section 516, 419 and 390 of the criminal code cap C 17 and 17 laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2003 count 1 & 2 read that you Owolabi Akeem and Jubril now in prison and others still at large between July and August 2007 at Lagos Island in the Lagos magisterial district did unlawfully obtained N1,450,000 from Kareem, N990,000 from Taiwo Akapo and N590,000 from Lukman Amao, totalling N3million on the pretence of procuring European visas for them, a claim you knew to be false.

Owolabi Akeem pleaded not guilty to the charge and presiding magistrate, Mr. J.A Adeogun, granted him bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties in like sum who must provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government in the past three years.

He directed that one of the sureties must own a landed property in the magisterial district and adjourned the matter till 20 January, 2012.

The accused were remanded in Ikoyi prison when they could not perfect his bail conditions.