A Nigerian man is to be imprisoned for 3 years for giving false information in his United Kingdom visa application.
The man, Kolawole Whesu Viyon, 53, lied about his marital status. He was arraigned by Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission at an Ikeja Special Offences Court under Justice Mojisola Dada, which sentenced him on Tuesday. Viyon was found guilty of the three-count charge of making false statement and presentation of a false document.
The ICPC prosecuting officer, Gogodaye West, said the convict commitment the offence on December 13, 2016.
West said Viyon, in his extrajudicial statement, volunteered under caution before Nkem Ezenwa, an investigating officer with the commission, made a false statement that Akerele (f) is his third and legally married wife.
The prosecutor said the offence of knowingly making false statement intending to mislead was contrary to Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
According to the statement of facts, the commission received an intelligence report that the convict conspired with one Olaronke Akerele, who is now at large, to submit a marriage certificate containing misleading information to facilitate their United Kingdom visa as a couple.
The commission said further investigation on the matter revealed that the convict and Akerele were never married as purported in the Jama-at-ul-Islamiyya of Nigeria marriage certificate submitted to the United Kingdom High Commission for a travel visa.
The commission also said the convict made an untrue statement in many material particular when he asserted that he had personally signed the Certificate of Marriage with No-JUN/LB/0000064, which is dated January 9, 2016 at 109, Tokunboh Street, Lagos Island.
Following a plea bargain entered into with the prosecution, the judge, however, gave Viyon an option of N.3m fine.
“Following the defendant’s guilty plea, he is hereby convicted accordingly. The terms of the plea bargain agreement are hereby adopted as the sentence of this court and the judgment thereof. “He is hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment or the fine imposed,” the judge said.
The judge, however, noted that if the fine was not paid within 24 hours, “Viyon will have to mandatorily serve his prison term.”
