A 37-year-old travel agent, Ibrahim Osuolale who allegedly defrauded a client of N1.4million under false pretenses of helping her to process seven visas on Wednesday appeared before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court.
Osuolale of Olatunji Street, Medina Road, Igando Egan, Lagos, who was arraigned before Magistrate A. M. Olumide-Fusika on a two-count charge of fraud and theft, denied the charges.
The magistrate, however, granted the accused N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Ben Ekundayo told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 8, at 8:00a.m. at Good Homes Estate, Angelia Lane, Addo, Ajah Lagos.
He said that the accused defrauded his client, Mrs Chinenye Ibekwe of N1.4million under the pretext of helping her process five Kuwait visas, an Australian visa and a Singapore visa.
He added that Ibekwe and the accused met through a WhatsApp group chat of Top Travel and Trip where he introduced himself as a registered travel agent.
“Osuolale collected the money, absconded and refused to pick the complainant’s calls.
“Ibekwe went to the Kuwait and Australian Embassies for confirmation and was informed that no visas application was made in the names she brought.
“The accused came to drop the seven passports Ibekwe gave him at a bar close to her house when he was sighted and arrested,” Ekundayo alleged.
The offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015; each of the sections carries three years and 15 years imprisonment respectively.
Further hearing on the case has been fixed for Oct. 23.