The officers of Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos, today, arraigned a man, Israel Daniel Onen, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, on alleged conspiracy, visa fraud, N60 million fraud and stealing.
The defendant was arraigned on the alleged offences before the court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala, in a charge marked FHC/L/1203c/2025.
The defendant, Israel Daniel Onen, according to the prosecutor conspired with others now at larger, to commit the alleged offences between the year 2024 and 2025 in Lagos.
Specifically, the prosecutor informed the court that the defendant by false pretence, fraudulently obtained the sum of N60 million from one Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel, under the disguise of procuring Ireland and Schengen countries visas for his clients.
The defendant was also accused of stealing the mentioned sum as he failed and refused to returned the money to the owner.
The defendant’s alleged illegal acts the prosecutor said contravened sections 1(1)(c) Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act; Section 18(2)(b), Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act. And Section 383 (1), Criminal Code Act, LFN, 2004 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the same Act.
The defendant however denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Upon his not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for trial date, while also prayed the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Onikan, Lagos.
The prosecutor told the court that the request to remand the defendant in the police custody, was due to several complains received against the defendant.
But his lawyer, after O. Ogu, informed the court that he filed and served the prosecutor his client’s bail application and pleaded with the court to admit his client to bail in the most liberal terms.
Based on the submissions of the prosecutor and the defendant’s lawyer, Justice Kala admitted bail to the defendant in the sum of N60 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Kala however stated that the surety court be a civil servant not below Grade Level 13, or a landed property owner with the land valued at N60 million.
The judge also ordered that both the defendant and the surety must deposit two passports photography, their account numbers, NIN, BVN and their phone numbers which they received alert on the accounts.
Justice Kala also ordered that the court registrars and the prosecutor should participate in verifying the bail conditions.
The judge, while adjourning the matter to February 12, for trial, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the police custody of Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, pending the fulfillment of the bail terms.
Charges against the defendant read: “that you, ISRAEL DANIEL ONEN ‘M’, and others at large, between 2024 and 2025, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain a cumulative sum of sixty million naira (N60,000,000.00), from one Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel, under the pretence of procuring visa permits to Ireland and Schengen Countries for his clients, a representation which later turned out to be false, as neither the visa permits were procured nor his money returned to him, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(c) Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you, ISRAEL DANIEL ONEN ‘M’, and others at large, between 2024 and 2025, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: laundering the sum of sixty million naira (N60,000,000.00) fraudulently obtained from one Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel, which you knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that such money forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a), Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you, ISRAEL DANIEL ONEN ‘M’, and others at large, between 2024 and 2025, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to launder, did converts or transfers the sum of sixty million naira (N60, 000, 000.00), fraudulently obtained from one Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel, which you knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that such money forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b), Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
“That you, ISRAEL DANIEL ONEN ‘M’, and others at large, between 2024 and 2025, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did steal a cumulative sum of sixty million naira (N60,000,000.00), property of one Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 (1), Criminal Code Act, LFN, 2004 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the same Act.”
