A United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Emmanuel Opeyemi Makinde, has concluded his cross-examination before Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Jabi, Abuja, in the ongoing criminal trial of travel agent Waliu Aderibigbe Shitta and his firm, Fanzine Educational Consult.
Shitta is standing trial over allegations that he fraudulently used Makinde’s personal details and documents to arrange a fake marriage to one Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf in order to facilitate her travel to the United Kingdom without Makinde’s knowledge or consent.
During cross-examination by defence counsel M. D. Owolabi, Makinde maintained under oath that he never met or married Yusuf and had explicitly instructed the agent not to attach any dependant to his visa application. He stated 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.
Makinde further informed the court during cross-examination that Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf has been formally petitioned and reported to the Nigeria Police, where she remains the subject of an active criminal investigation alongside the primary defendants.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution filed an amended three-count charge against the defendants, adding a new count of Criminal Breach of Trust.
Parts of the amended charge read:
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 stated that Shitta and Fanzine Educational Consult, being entrusted with Makinde’s personal documents to process a UK visa, dishonestly violated that contract of trust by preparing and submitting false documents representing that Makinde was lawfully married to Yusuf, an offence contrary to Section 311 and punishable under 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.
Visa fraud: UK-based Nigerian battles travel agent over forged marriage, identity theft
