By Vivian Okejeme
A United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Emmanuel Opeyemi Makinde, has narrated how his travel agent, Mr Waliyu Aderibigbe Shitta, fraudulently added a woman to his visa application in 2022 as his wife.
The Plaintiff told Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Jabi, Abuja, that the travel agent added one Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf as his legally married wife.
Opeyemi, in his evidence-in-chief before the court, stated that the defendant was introduced to him by his Pastor, Mr Aregbesola Sanyanolu of Celestial Church of Christ, Jerusalem Parish, Ado-Ekiti.
According to him, the information provided by the agent later created serious problems for him with the UK authorities when he decided to bring his wife to the United Kingdom.
The travel agent is currently standing trial before the court for allegedly arranging a fraudulent marriage for Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf in order to facilitate her travel abroad using the identity of Mr Opeyemi, a Nigerian citizen residing in the United Kingdom.
He told the court:
“Throughout my dealings with the defendant, I consistently informed him that I was single for the purpose of my UK student visa application. After my wife completed her studies in 2024, I submitted an application for her to join me in the United Kingdom.
“One day while I was at work, I received an email from the UK Home Office requesting that I provide official evidence demonstrating that my partner’s previous marriage had been officially dissolved by the relevant court.
“I immediately sent a voice note to the defendant together with a screenshot of the Home Office email, explaining the consequences of the message I had received. After viewing the message, he blocked me on WhatsApp.
“I then contacted my Pastor and informed him that we needed to report the defendant to the authorities. However, my Pastor stopped responding to my messages and calls.
“Two days later, I replied to the Home Office and informed them that I had never been married to any woman other than my wife. The visa application was refused because the Home Office believed that I already had a marriage on record in the United Kingdom.”
He further told the court that the defendant instructed him to answer “yes” when he was asked during his biometric appointment whether all supporting documents had been uploaded.
Mr Opeyemi stated that at no point did he instruct the defendant to include Miss Dolapo Afusat Yusuf as his wife in any visa application.
He further stated that he consistently informed the defendant that he was applying for the visa alone and that there was no dependant on his application.
The case is adjourned until 7 October for continuation.
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