Woman, 33, Remanded In Kirikiri For Alleged N6.3M Canada Visa Fraud

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 33-year-old woman, Abimbola Deborah, has been remanded in custody at the Correctional Center, Kirikiri Town, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a man of the sum of N6.3 million under the pretense of procuring Canadian travelling documents.

 

Deborah was arraigned before Magistrate Mrs. O. Kusanu at the Ikeja Magisterial District on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretense, forgery and stealing, in Charge No: M-10/507 MU / 2026, Commissioner of Police Vs Abimbola Deborah ‘F’ Aged 33yrs.

 

The Prosecutor, SP Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendant and others now at large, sometime in the year at about 1400hrs, somewhere at Ogba, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire among themselves to commit felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretense, forgery and stealing.

The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

SP Josephine Ikhayere further alleged that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N6,300,000 (Six Million Three Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Tunde Olabode ‘M’ under the pretense that she will help him to use same to procure travelling documents that will enable him and his wife to travel to Canada, a presentation she knew to be false.

 

According to the prosecutor, the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 314 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

 

The Police also alleged that the defendant forged a Canada travel visa document and presented same to be genuine to the complainant, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 365 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

 

In the fourth count, the defendant was alleged to have stolen the sum of N6,300,000 property of Tunde Olabode by converting same to her own use, contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

When the charges were read to her, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Following her not guilty plea, SP Josephine Ikhayere asked the court for a date for trial.

The defence counsel, however, applied for bail on behalf of the defendant, urging the court to grant her bail in liberal terms, assuring that she would not jump bail and would provide reliable sureties.

In her ruling, Magistrate Mrs. O. Kusanu granted the defendant bail with two sureties who must show evidence of means of livelihood.

The Magistrate ordered that the sureties must also show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and that their addresses must be verified by the court prosecutor.

She ruled that the defendant be remanded in custody at the Correctional Center at Kirikiri Town, Lagos, pending the perfection of her bail conditions.

The matter was adjourned for further hearing.

 

Police authorities have continued to warn members of the public to be cautious of persons who promise to procure foreign visas and travelling documents for huge sums, advising them to always follow approved immigration channels and verify through the appropriate embassies to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.