Fake visa agent docked over alleged N1.7m fraud

The Police on Tuesday arraigned a 31-year-old man, Innocent Augustine, in a Wuse Zone 2 Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, for allegedly defrauding one Onyebuchi Nnaji of N1.7 million through visa racketeering.

The defendant, of Kpaduma village, Asokoro, Abuja, is facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery.

The Prosecutor, Mr Adeyemi Oyeyemi, told the court that Augustine committed the offences in Jan. 2017.

Oyeyemi said that the defendant conspired with one Mr Jude, now at large, and deceived Nnaji, the complainant, into giving them N1, 700,000.

He said that the accused and his accomplice obtained the said sum on the pretext that they were going to change Nnaji’s travel visa to Hong kong to enable him to travel to Australia.

According to him, a fake visa was issued to the complainant and all efforts to retrieve the money were abortive.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 97, 322 and 364 of the Penal Code.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Mrs Mabel Bello, admitted the accused to bail of N1, 000, 000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case until May 28 for hearing.