A 37-year-old businesswoman, Joyce Okafor, was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly defrauding one Ike Chukwuebuka, of N550,000, by presenting a forged New Zealand visa to him.
Joyce is facing a four-count charge bothering on conspiracy and fraud.
The accused allegedly collected N550,000 from Chukwuebuka, with a promise to procure a valid New Zealand visa for him, the prosecution, Insp. Vincent Atagamen said.
Atagamen told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in December 2017, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
“The accused, with others still at large, fraudulently collected N550,000 from the complainant, on the pretext of procuring a valid New Zealand visa for him,” the prosecutor said.
Atagamen said that the accused allegedly forged a New Zealand visa, with intent that it might in any way be used or acted upon as genuine.
“The visa was confirmed fake upon verification by the complainant.
“The accused was given another chance to procure the complainant an Australian visa, but when the visa was out, it was also confirmed fake at the airport,” the prosecution told the court.
The offences violated Sections 314(3), 362(1)(b) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 314 prescribes a 15-year jail term for false pretence, while Section 411 stipulates three years imprisonment for offenders.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Magistrate, Mrs F. Williams, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until April 24 for further hearing.(NAN)
