Businessman faces N2.6m visa scam charge

June 24, 2017 7:21 PM

The 37-yr-old suspect is facing a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

VISA Scam

A businessman,

Akin, 37, a resident of No. 16, Adeola St., off Akinjagunla, Akure, Ondo State, is facing a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Peter Nwangwu, told the court that the accused, who entered a ‘not guilty plea,’ committed the offences sometime in January at No. 20, Gospel crusade St., Haruna bus stop, College road, Ifako-Ijaiye.

Nwangwu said Akin collected N2.6 million from Nwachukwu, with a promise to procure an American visa, tickets and hotel reservations for herself, her husband and son, but failed to do so.

He alleged that the complainant paid the said amount into the accused’s Diamond bank account and Lasale Travels and Tours Diamond bank account belonging to him

“When confronted, the accused said he had spent the money and started giving excuses.

“By the time Akin returned Nwachukwu’s international passport, it was discovered that the passport has been damaged by him by perforating some pages and he refused to return the husband’s passport.’’

“It was later discovered that all the documents, hotel reservations and tickets he gave the complainant were fake.

“All efforts made by the accused to refund the complainant’s money were unsuccessful as he started threatening her life through phone calls and text messages, until he was recently apprehended by the police,’’ Nwangwu said.

The offences contravened Sections 285, 166 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 312 prescribes a 15-year jail term for obtaining money under false pretences.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Aje-Afunwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of 700,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Aje-Afunwa ordered that the sureties must be property owners in Lagos, with evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the case until July 24, for trial.