The police on Tuesday arraigned a 40-year-old fake visa agent, Timothy Atolagbe, before a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Iba for allegedly obtaining the sum of N9, 879,928.00, under false pretence of helping his victim to procure Canadian study visa.
Atolagbe who was arraigned before Magistrate D. S. Odukoya is facing four counts bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and forgery preferred against him by the police.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Njoku, told the court that the defendant and others still at large conspired to commit the offences between July 2023 and June 2024.
Njoku told the court that the incident took place at Ajangbadi, a suburb of Lagos State.
He said Atolagbe obtained the money from a prospective student, one Damilola Michael, under the pretext of helping him to facilitate his Canadian study visa, which he knew was false.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant allegedly forged documents of the CBBC Career College, Canada, to obtain money from the complainant, Michael, knowing that it was false.
Njoku further told the court that Atolagbe also obtained the sum of N150,000, from one Durosimi Adeola, under pretext to facilitate his employment, which he knew was false.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections, 411, 314 (1) (a), and 365 (2) (b), of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Magistrate Odukoya granted him bail, in the sum of N4m, with two sureties each in like sum.
The court also ordered that evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and addresses of the sureties be verified.
She adjourned the case till January 17, 2025, for mention.
