In an attempt to secure a United Kingdom travel visa using forged documents, two civil servants, Shitu Afeez and Babatunde Oluyemi Bamgbade, have been arraigned before Honourable Justice H.O. Oshodi of Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged forgery, criminal conspiracy and possession of false documents by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)
The two civil servants were accused of conspiring to obtain a forged letter of introduction from the Lagos State Government as part of an application for a British visa to attend a 3-day training programme of the Chartered Institute of Waste Management and Governmental Services Association in the United Kingdom between May 31st and June 2nd 2016.
Afeez and Bamgbade’s action is contrary to and punishable under Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
While taking their plea separately, the accused persons entered a “not guilty” plea to all the charges preferred against them. In view of this, counsel to both the 1st and 2nd defendants, Faith Ajomale and Olalekan Bolaji respectively prayed the court to grant their clients bail.
In his ruling on the bail application, the trial judge granted bail separately to both accused persons in the sum of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each with a surety in like sum.
The sureties must be blood relations of the accused persons and residents of Lagos with evidence of three years tax clearance from the Lagos State Government.
The case has been adjourned to 13th May 2017 for commencement of trial.