NAN-H-14
Agent
By Deborah Akpede
Lagos, Aug. 24, 2017 (NAN) An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Thursday granted a N500,000-bail to Olufemi Odebiyi, 48, an estate agent, for allegedly defrauding a man N800,000 and issuing him a fake Canadian visa.

The accused, a resident of Sango-Otta, Ogun, had pleaded not guilty to charges of forgery and fraud.

The magistrate, Mrs I.M Dan-Oni, ordered the accused to produce two sureties in like sum as part of his bail conditions.

Dan-Oni said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government (LASG).

The prosecutor, Insp. Essien Ndarake, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 15 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos State.

Ndarake said that the accused defrauded Samuel Ogwo of N800,000 under the pretext that he would help him to obtain a Canadian visa.

He said that the accused, however, processed a fake visa for the complainant.

“When Ogwo got to the departure hall of the airport, he was not allowed to board hiss flight because it was   discovered that his passport was carrying a fake visa,” Ndarake said.

Ndarake said that when the accused was traced and arrested, it was also discovered that he forged the Arik Airline identity card in his possession.

“The accused falsely represented himself to be a staff member of Arik Airline by forging the airline’s identity card which he was always hanging it on his neck to defraud intending travellers,” he said.

He said the offences contravened Sections 314 and 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 314 stipulates 15 years’ imprisonment for fraud.

The case was adjourned until Aug. 31 for mention. (NAN)

DOA/OFN/PAD

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Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Peter Dada