An Ibadan-based school proprietress, Motunrayo Olasebikan, was on Thursday arraigned before the Oyo State High Court over alleged involvement in a visa scam.
Olasebikan was arraigned alongside one Abideen Tijani, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Ladiran Akintola on seven counts charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and altering documents.
According to a statement by the anti-graft Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the defendants were arrested after one Inumidunsola Poopola wrote a petition to the commission on behalf of himself and other victims. It was gathered that the defendants, who presented themselves as registered travel agents sometime in February 2018, tricked the victims to part with money for processing travel documents.
Poopola, in his petition, alleged that though the defendants gave them some documents, it was later discovered that the papers were forged, as they were turned down, at the point of travelling.
The defendants, represented by A.B.C. Ademiluyi and S.O. Alli, pleaded not guilty to the charges and prayed the court for a short adjournment to hear their bail applications.
On his part, the prosecution counsel, Ben Ubi, asked the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand them in custody. Justice Akintola subsequently adjourned the case till October 7 for the hearing of bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC’s custody.
PUNCH