MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police operatives from the Lagos State Command have arrested two suspected members of visa racket syndicate, Thomas Olasupo, 47 and Raymond Phillips, 59, for allegedly swindling two victims to the tune of N10.3m by procuring fake Canadian documents.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Odunla Ojurinde Avenue, Governor’s Road, Ikotun area of Lagos State, where the suspects met with the victims, Adeosun Folashade, F and Sanyaolu Seyi Peter.
The suspects, Olasupo and Phillips, have been charged before the Court for conspiracy and obtaining under the false pretence.
According to the Police, the suspects convinced the victims that they had contact to procure and purchase Canadian promo tickets. They believed them and paid the money to them.
The suspects were alleged to have gone to Lagos Island and procured fake tickets and gave them travel documents to Canada with false numbers, B00764444 and B00853841as they had promised them.
However, unknown to the victims, they were fake documents and they prepared to travel to Canada with the documents.
They were however, told by the Immigration authorities that their tickets were fake and were prevented from travelling.
The matter was reported to the Police at Ikotun Division. The suspects were later trailed, arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over their alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found them culpable for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, K.A. Ariyo, granted them bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses verified by the Court.