A UK–based Nigerian, Emmanuel Makinde, on Thursday told the FCT High Court, Jabi Division, that his travel agent, Waliyu Shitta, fraudulently added a woman as his wife in a visa application processed in 2022.
Mr Makinde, who testified before Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo during his evidence-in-chief, alleged that the defendant listed Dolapo Yusuf as his legally married wife without his consent.
He told the court that his pastor, Aregbesola Sanyanolu of the Celestial Church of Christ, Jerusalem Parish, Ado-Ekiti introduced him to Mr Shitta.
According to him, the information later created serious problems with the UK authorities when he sought to bring his real wife into the country.
Giving details of his dealings with the defendant, Mr Makinde said he had consistently informed him that he was single for the purpose of his UK student visa application in 2022.
“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,” he said.
Mr Makinde told the court that while at work, he received an email from the UK Home Office requesting official evidence that his previous marriage had been legally dissolved by a competent 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, the defendant blocked me on WhatsApp,” Mr Makinde explained.
Mr Makinde added that he contacted Mr Sanyanolu and suggested reporting the matter to the authorities to have the defendant arrested, but the pastor stopped responding to his calls and messages.
“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 said.
Mr Makinde had told the court that, during the visa application process, the defendant instructed him to answer “yes” when he was asked at his biometric appointment whether he had uploaded any other documents.
He maintained that he never authorised the defendant to include Ms Yusuf as his wife in any visa application and had consistently stated that he was applying alone, with no dependant attached to the application.
Mr Oyeyipo subsequently adjourned the matter until October 7 to continue the witness’ evidence.
Mr Shitta is being prosecuted by the police for listing Ms Yusuf as Mr Makinde’s wife in his visa application to facilitate her travel abroad.
(NAN)