By Sade Adewale, Ondo

An Ondo Chief Magistrate Court has ordered the remand of a 35-year-old travel agent, Oriyomi Adekanbi, in Segede Correctional Centre, over N41,683,500 visa fraud.

 Magistrate O. A. Omofolarin, gave the order after the sureties declined standing as guarantors for the defendant in court.

The defendant was arraigned by the police on two counts of obtaining under false pretence and stealing.

According to the prosecution, the defendant committed the offence on February 5, 2023, and November 17, 2023, at Ondo Town, within the jurisdiction of the court in Ondo.

The charge reads, ” That you, Oriyomi Adekanb, between February 5, 2023, and November 17, 2023, at Ondo town within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud,  obtained the sum of N41,683,500, from Winnerdeby Travelling and Tour and Winner Deborah under the false pretence of procuring a visa and other travelling documents for them which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

“That you, Oriyomi Adekanbi, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal the sum of N41,683,500,  belonging to Winnerdeby Travelling and Tours and Winner Deborah, by fraudulently converting the said money to your personal use and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 390(8)(b) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Volume 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.

The prosecutor, Supol Bernard Olagbayi, prayed the court for an adjournment to prepare the four witnesses for trial.

The defence counsel, Mr. A.U. Ajayi, applied for the bail of the defendant in the most liberal terms.

Magistrate O. A. Omofolarin, ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody till the next date of adjournment.

She adjourned the case till April 16, 2024, for trial.