Two men, Odunayo Olaniyi Rasheed, 61 and Abraham Ebaluegbeifo Osagie, 39, have been arraigned before a Tinubu Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on charges bordering on alleged conspiracy, forgery and obtaining the sum of N20 million by false presence.
The two men were arraigned before the court presided over by Chief Magistrate B. A. Sonuga, by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos.
The two men according to the prosecutor, S. A. Ogala, allegedly defrauded the duo of Kingsley Ugochukwu Chinedu, Chigozie Raymond Inno and others of the sum of N20 million, under the false pretence of procuring them United Kingdom Visa.
Ogala told the court that the two defendants and others at large committed the fraud sometimes in October 2023, at the premises of United Kingdom Embassy, Lagos.
To perpetrate the alleged unlawful acts, the prosecutor told the court that the defendants forged some documents which they used in convincing their victims.
He further told the court that the illegal acts of the defendants contravened sections 411; 356(1) and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. And punishable under the same Laws.
The two defendants, Odunayo and Abraham, denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the three counts charge made against them.
Following their not guilty plea to the charge, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while also urged the court to remand them in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending the conclusion of the matter.
However, the defendants through their lawyer orally applied for bail, on the ground that they are first time offenders and the charges against them are bailable ones.
Based on their lawyer’s submission, Chief Magistrate Sonuga admitted to bail to each of the defendants in the sum of N2 million with two sureties each.
The Chief magistrate also ordered that the each of the sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction, with evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government and among other conditions.
Chief Magistrate Sonuga while adjourning the matter to October 16, 2024 for mention, ordered that the two defendants be remanded with the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Charges Against The Two Defendants Read: “That you, Odunayo Olaniyi Rasheed and Abraham Ebaluegbeifo Osagie and other now at large, sometimes in October 2023, at the United Kingdom Embassy, Lagos State, within the Magisterial District of this honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to wit: forgery and obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
“That you Odunayo Olaniyi Rasheed and Abraham Ebaluegbeifo Osagie and other now at large, sometimes in October 2023, at the United Kingdom Embassy, Lagos State, within the Magisterial District of this honourable Court, did forged documents in support of some Nigerians who intend to visit/travel to United Kingdom and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 356(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
“That you Odunayo Olaniyi Rasheed And Abraham Ebaluegbeifo Osagie and others now at large, sometimes in October 2023, at United Kingdom Embassy, Lagos State, within the magisterial district of this honourable court, did fraudulently obtained the sum of N20, 000, 000 (Twenty Five Million Naira) from one Kingsley Ugochukwu Chinedu, Chigozie RAYMOND INNO, and others under the pretence that you will provide a valid United Kingdom Visa, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
