KINGSLEY EBERE
A 35-year old man, Lasisi Hammed, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a woman, Joseph Elizabeth, to the tune of N11m under the false pretence of procuring her visa which turned out to be a scam.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened in November 2023 and February 2025, at Opopo-Igbala Street Ipaja Ikola-Ipaja, Lagos.
The suspect, Hammed, however procured forged travelling documents and handed them over to the complainant. When she went to the airport to check-in and travel, she was rejected over the forged documents.
Thus, the matter was reported to the Police at Ipaja Division. The suspect was arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over the alleged conduct against the complainant.
While being interrogated, the suspect admitted to have collected the money and procured the documents which turned out to be fake.
The Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, Lasisi Hammed ‘M’ sometime between November 2023 and February 2025, at Opopo-Igbala Street Ipaja Ikola-Ipaja Lagos in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did unlawfully and fraudulently obtained the total sum of (N11,800,000) Eleven Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira from one Joseph Elizabeth ‘F’ under false pretence to procure a working visa and tickets to Vietnam, Mauritius, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, Canada and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II:”That you, Lasisi Hammed ‘M’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did dishonestly and fraudulently convert the sum of (N11,800,000) Eleven Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira, belonging to one Joseph Elizabeth ‘F’ to your own use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 (a) (b) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
COUNT III: “That you, Lasisi Hammed ‘M’ on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did unlawfully forged visa document of Vietnam, Mauritius, Malaysia, Germany, Australia and Canada Visa and issued to one Joseph Elizabeth’s clients and thereby Committed an offence punishable Under Section 365 (1) (3a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Njue, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. F.R. Ogunkoyede, granted him bail in the sum of N2.5m with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.