The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned two persons, Mr Animashaun Sadiq Abimbola and Miss Adeniji Olamide Modupeoluwa, for allegedly forging National Diploma Certificate (ND) of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke, for the purpose of obtaining a British visa.
The forged documents were said to have been discovered by the verification team of the British High Commission when the defendants presented the documents in an attempt to obtain British visa.
The EFCC arraigned the defendants before the court presided by a vacation judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court on a 40 count charge offence bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and use of false documents among others.
According to EFCC prosecutor, Mrs I. Daramola, the defendants, on September 16, 2015, with intent to defraud, conspired to commit felony by allegedly forging National Diploma (ND) Certificate of Education of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke, Osun State dated September 7, 2012.
Mrs. Daramola told the court that the defendants allegedly forged the documents to facilitate the procurement of a United Kingdom Visa by false presence from the British High Commission with the forged certificate, purporting it to have been issued by the school authority of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke.
She further alleged that the defendants forged the institution’s statement of examination result and used same to facilitate the procurement of the visa.
The EFCC also alleged that the defendants on August 3, 2015 forged a documents titled, “To whom it may concern” in order to obtain a United Kingdom visa from British High Commission.
Other documents for which the defendants were alleged to have forged included a letter titled, “Offer of Provisional Admission into Higher National Diploma Programme for 2014/2015”; student identity card bearing the name of Adeniji Olamide Modupeoluwa purporting them to have been issued by the institution.
The defendants, according to the prosecution, also allegedly forged a number of letters including a “Letter of Sponsorship” dated August 10, 2015; a letter titled “Self Introduction Letter/Origin of Funds” dated August 21, 2015; a “Letter of Information” dated August 14, 2015; a “Letter of Introduction/Sponsorship” dated August b17, 2015; a “Board Resolution Letter” dated August 12, 2015; an “Application for Entry Clearance Visa” dated August 19, 2015; forgery of an identity card bearing the name of Sulaiman Monsurat.
All the documents which were purportedly Monsul Global Ventures, the commission alleged, were to be used to obtain a United Kingdom visa from British High Commission.
Abimbola and one Ekuase Darlington, said to be at large, were further alleged to have on August 28, 2015, with intent to defraud and in order to obtain a United Kingdom visa by false pretence from British High Commission, forged a document titled, “SA Capital Investplus-Gold Investment” of N600,000 dated December 30, 2014 which was purported to have been issued by Standard Alliance Capital and Asset Management Limited.
The prosecution said the offences committed were contrary to and punishable under sections 363(1)and 5(2); 364(1) and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State No. 11 of 2011.
When the charges were read by the prosecution, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 40 count charge preferred against them by the commission.
Asked by the registrar for their level of education, Abimbola claimed to be an HND certificate holder while Modupeoluwa claimed to be a BSc. Certificate holder.
Counsels to the defendants, Mr G.O. Oyebade and Mr M.A. Bello for the first and second defendants respectively, pleaded for bail for them.
Argueing their application for bail, Bello told the court that Miss Modupeoluwa is an ulcer patient and would need to have access to her doctor and drugs coupled with the fact that they have been in EFCC custody since April 25, this year.
The vacation judge, Justice Ipaye granted them bail each in the sum of N500,000.00 with two sureties in the like sum.
Justice Ipaye ordered that the sureties must swear to an affidavit of means, must be resident and have property in Lagos, present three years tax certificate.
She thereafter ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison custody pending perfection of their bail while the registrar of the high court is to assign the matter to a substantive judge.
