Police arraign two in Edo for Visa Fraud

A suspected fraudster, one Akinwale Falowo and his accomplice, Kehinde Ola, have been arraigned by the police before an Egor Magistrates’ Court in Benin, Edo State for allegedly defrauding six persons to the tune of N336, 000.

The prosecutor, Inspector Ledee N-Ueh, told the court that the accused allegedly obtained the said amount, ranging from N3, 500 to N62, 500, from their unsuspecting victims: Okungaga Omogiade, Etim Daniel, Ebohon Austine, Emeka Ephraim, Solomon Udegbe and Lawal Ige, under the charade of providing them with Australian and Canadian visas.

It was gathered that the accused, who were arraigned on 10 counts bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and stealing, were said to have committed the offence on September 14, 2015, on Ugbowo-Lagos Road, Benin, the state capital.

The charges read in part, “That you, Akinwale Falowo, aka Benjamin, Taiwo Osidolor, and Kehinde Ola, and others now at large, on September 14, 2015, on Ugbowo-Lagos Road, Benin City, in the Egor Magisterial District, fraudulently collected the sum of N60,000 from one Ebohon Austine and total sum of N336,000 property of various others, under the pretext of obtaining Australian visas for them, knowing same to be false, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II, Law of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo State.”

However, the two defendants, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Mrs. Igho Briamoh, the presiding magistrate, granted them bail in the sum of N150, 000 each with a surety each, who must be civil servants and adjourned the case till January 19.