A middle-aged travel agent, Oluwatoyin Hassan, was, on Friday, arraigned before an Ilorin Magistrates’ Court over an alleged N3.9 million visa scam.
The defendant, whose house address was not given, is facing a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal misappropriation.
The Prosecutor, Zacheaus Folorunsho, told the court that the defendant conspired with two others, now at large, to commit the crime.
He said that the complainant, Ali Aduagba, reported the case at the Police headquarters, Ilorin, on Oct. 18.
Folorunsho said that the defendant, under false pretence, presented himself as a travel agent with a fictitious company named: Alhassan Dynamic Investment to dishonestly collect the sum of N3.9 million from the complainant and others.
He added that the defendant collected the money through his Zenith Bank account number: 1017707935 under the pretext of processing Oman and Dubai visas for the complainant.
The prosecutor further told the court the defendant fled to Dubai in January 2021 after swindling the complainant of N3.9 million.
He said that police operatives, however, arrested the defendant somewhere in Osogbo as soon as he sneaked into the country.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 97, 312, 322 and 309 of Penal Code Law.
The defendant, who pleaded guilty to the charges, paid N150,000 to the complainant as part of the money falsely collected from him, with a promise to refund the balance at the next adjourned date.
Defence Counsel, Mr Toyin Onaolapo, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail, based on his earlier admittance to the crime.
In his ruling, Magistrate Ibrahim Dasuki, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum, based on his prompt admittance of guilt which would save the court of unnecessary stress.
Dasuki adjourned the matter till Dec. 6, for further mention.
