Fake travel agent in court over alleged N1.1m visa fraud

A 33-year-old fake travel agent, Agbonlahor Newman, accused of defrauding a traveller of N1, 112, 000, was on Thursday arraigned before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court.

Newman, who resides at Ikorodu area of Lagos, is facing a five-count charge of cultism, fraud, conspiracy and theft.

The prosecutor, Insp. Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Nov 28, 2018, at Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

He said that the defendant, a cultist who belonged to ‘Eiye’ confraternity, claimed to be a travel agent and collected N1, 112, 000 from one Sunday Osato, under the false pretence of helping him to procure a Schengen visa.

The prosecutor said that three months after collecting the money, the defendant stopped picking Osato’s calls.

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The offences, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 42, 287, 314, 365 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 287 prescribes three years imprisonment while 314 stipulates 15 years imprisonment for a person found guilty.

After the charges were read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Kubeinje ordered that one of the sureties must be a relative of the accused, and the other a civil servant.

She adjourned the case till July 2, for hearing.