Visa fraud: UK-based Nigerian battles journey agent over cast marriage, identification theft

A United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Emmanuel Opeyemi Makinde, has concluded his cross-examination earlier than Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Jabi, Abuja, within the ongoing legal trial of journey agent Waliu Aderibigbe Shitta and his agency, Fanzine Educational Consult.

Shitta is standing trial over allegations that he fraudulently used Makinde’s private particulars and paperwork to rearrange a pretend marriage to at least one Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf with a view to facilitate her journey to the United Kingdom with out Makinde’s data or consent.

During cross-examination by defence counsel M. D. Owolabi, Makinde maintained below oath that he by no means met or married Yusuf and had explicitly instructed the agent to not connect any dependant to his visa software. He acknowledged that the unauthorized inclusion led to the cancellation of his UK visa on October 11, 2024, prompting him to report the fraud to the UK Metropolitan Police, Action Fraud, UK Border Force, and the Nigeria Police.

Parts of the amended cost learn:

Count one

“That you Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along jede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos state, and Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometimes in January, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Giving false information to a Public servant, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (1990. CAP 532).”

Count two

“That you Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos state, and Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometimes in January, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did give false information to the British Embassy, that one Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi is married to one Dolapo Afusat Yusuf, the information that has threatened the deportation of the said Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi back to Nigeria, an act you know to be unlawful and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98 Law of Northern Nigeria.”

Count Three acknowledged that Shitta and Fanzine Educational Consult, being entrusted with Makinde’s private paperwork to course of a UK visa, dishonestly violated that contract of belief by making ready and submitting false paperwork representing that Makinde was lawfully married to Yusuf, an offence opposite to Section 311 and punishable below Section 315 of the Penal Code.

Following the conclusion of Makinde’s cross-examination, the prosecution closed its case.

Justice Oyeyipo subsequently adjourned the matter to January 20, 2027, for the defence to open its case.