Alleged Visa Scam: Judge’s Absence Stalls Trial Of Travel Agent, Others

The lack of Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting successful Jabi, Abuja, has stalled the proceeding of the transgression lawsuit brought by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) against Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe and a question agency, Fanzine Educational Consult.

The IGP, connected behalf of a United Kingdom-based complainant, Mr Opeyemi Makinde, dragged Aderibigbe and the steadfast earlier the tribunal for allegedly giving mendacious accusation to British government.

But, erstwhile the lawsuit came up September 22, the justice was said to beryllium indisposed and, therefore, could not sit.

Following the inability of the tribunal to sit, the lawsuit was further adjourned to November 19, 2025, for proceeding of the question filed by the IGP.

The IGP had filed a question seeking an bid of the tribunal to let the complainant, Makinde, attest successful the lawsuit virtually.

Aderibigbe and the steadfast were arraigned connected a 2 number charge. They, however, pleaded not blameworthy to the charge.

The accused were said to person been engaged successful a visa scam connected January 19,2023.

In the complaint dated April 9, 2024, Aderibigbe was said to person fixed mendacious accusation to the British Embassy, that 1 Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi was joined to 1 Dolapo Afussat Yusuf.

The constabulary further said successful the complaint that the mendacious accusation has led a deportation menace against the said Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi backmost to Nigeria.

According to the complaint sheet, the accused knows that the enactment was unlawful and thereby
committed an offence punishable nether conception 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98 Law of Northern Nigeria.

After the complaint was work to him, helium pleaded not blameworthy and the presiding judge, Justice Oyeyipo, granted him bail successful the sum of N1m.

He was besides asked to nutrient 2 sureties who indispensable beryllium civilian servants and not beneath people level 9 successful the civilian service.

According to the judge, the sureties indispensable deposit their passport photographs astatine the Registry of the tribunal and indispensable beryllium residents of the FCT.

The two-count complaint against the accused persons read, “That you Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos state, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometimes successful January, 2022 wrong the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspired among yourselves to perpetrate felony to wit: Giving mendacious accusation to a Public servant, thereby committed an offence punishable nether Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (1990. CAP 532).

“That you Shitta Waliu Aderibigbe ‘m’, Fanzine Educational Consult of No. 12 Evans Street, Idiroko, Along Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos state, and Miss Dolapo Afussat Yusuf ‘f’ (at large), sometimes successful January, 2022 wrong the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did springiness False Information to the British Embassy, that 1 Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi is joined to 1 Dolapo Afussat Yusuf, the accusation that has threatened the deportation of the said Emmanuel Makinde Opeyemi backmost to Nigeria, an enactment you cognize to beryllium unlawful and thereby
committed an offence punishable nether conception 140 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 98 Law of Northern Nigeria.”