Agency secures 6 years imprisonment for visa racketeer

Okoduwa said that Ndubueze was convicted and sentenced by Justice Abubakar Umar of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Maitama, Abuja.

She said the convict was found guilty of a three-count charge bordering on impersonation and forgery under Sections 132 and 363 of the Penal Code, brought against him by the ICPC.

The offences, according to the spokesperson, are punishable under Sections 132 and 364 of the 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory.

She said Ndubueze was convicted on all the three counts and was subsequently sentenced to two years imprisonment on each of the counts which would run concurrently.

Okoduwa quoted counsel to the ICPC, Ekoi Akponimisingha, to have told the court that the convict posed as a director in the Consular and Immigration Service Department (CISD) of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, to commit the offences.

She said that Ndubueze sent false documents via email while posing as Mr Akinkumi Rockson, who is the CISD Director II in the ministry.

“His intention was to hoodwink the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs into offering him entry visas for five applicants via the Trade Mission of Taiwan in Abuja.’’

According to the ICPC spokesperson, the convict had also forged a letter of introduction from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the name of Mr Rockson.

She said in the spurious letter, he introduced the five applicants as journalists going to Taipei for a computer expo, whereas they were all automobile spare parts dealers resident in Aba, Abia.

Okoduwa said that the ICPC, upon being alerted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the criminal activities of the convict, launched investigations which established Ndubueze’s culpability.