Posted by By Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye on
Two men were last week arraigned before the magistrate's court, Ebute- Metta for allegedly altering visas and forging Immigration stamps.
Two men were last week arraigned before the magistrate's court, Ebute- Metta for allegedly altering visas and forging Immigration stamps.
The British Deputy Commissioner handed over the accused persons, Hakeem Abioye and Lateef Omolewa, to detectives at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID). The alleged offences, according to the prosecution, were committed on April 15, 2005 on Lagos Island.
According to the prosecution, Omolewa (28) and others at large knowingly altered Chinese Visa No. C522232 dated December 3, 2004 to the Consular at the British Commission as that it could be acted on as genuine.
'Omolewa and his cohorts also altered an Australian Visa No. AC516879 dated December 20, 2004 and a Schengen Visa No BNLO666978 dated July 18, 2003. The charges are offences contrary to Section 468 and punishable under Section 467 of the criminal code,' he said.
Abioye was charged with fraudulently and knowingly altering a forged immigration stamps. He was charge with altering a Republic of South Africa Visa dated July 10, 2003, a Schengen State Visa and a United States of America Visa.
The two accused persons however, denied the charge and pleaded not guilty when the court registrar read it to them.
After an oral application by their counsel, the magistrate granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties in the same amount. The two sureties, according to the magistrate, must be gainfully employed with verification of office and residence.
They were however, remanded in prison custody due to their inability to meet the bail condition.