One Samuel Dada, 52, on Tuesday, appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates Court charged with duping 12 prospective US-bound travellers of ₦16 million.
Dada, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of forgery and fraud, but the court did not take his plea. The prosecutor, Insp Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences in November 2024 in Ado-Ekiti.
Oriyomi said that the defendant collected ₦16 million from 12 people, promising to assist them procure US visas and securing jobs in the country.
He said that the defendant also forged travel documents, expecting the complainants to take them as genuine. Oriyomi said that the offences contravened Section 376(2) (b) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021 and Section 1(3) of the Advance Free Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant to a correctional centre, pending legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. However, the Defence Counsel, Mrs Adunni Olanipekun, urged the court to grant her client bail, promising that he would not jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, granted the defendant bail for ₦2 million with two sureties in like sum. Adeosun said that one of the sureties must own land within the court’s jurisdiction with a Certificate of Occupancy. He adjourned the case until January 31 for mention.