By Deborah Nnamdi
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned one Ms. Elle Isaac Blessing Ojo before Justice Akobi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Kubwa, for allegedly forging a marriage certificate and fake United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport stamps to fraudulently obtain a United Kingdom (UK) visa.
The defendant was arraigned on Tuesday on a four-count charge filed by the Commission under Charge No. CR/577/25: Federal Republic of Nigeria vs. Elle Isaac Blessing Ojo (F).
According to the charge sheet, the offences were committed around 2019 in Abuja, where Ms. Ojo allegedly forged a marriage certificate with registration number 024119/2017, purportedly issued by the Ikoyi Marriage Registry in Lagos, to support her UK visa application.
The ICPC also accused her of forging UAE entry and exit stamps on her international passport to falsely present them as genuine travel records in her application.
The Commission stated that her actions contravened Sections 363 and 366, and are punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Laws of the Federation, which deal with forgery and the fraudulent use of forged documents.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Elle Isaac Blessing Ojo, in 2019 or thereabouts, at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently present as genuine a forged marriage certificate purportedly emanating from Ikoyi Marriage Registry, Ikoyi-Lagos, when you had reason to believe it to be a forged document, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Laws of the Federation.”
When the charges were read, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all four counts. She was represented by her counsel, C.A. Owo Ekele, while Barrister Fatima Abdullahi appeared for the ICPC.
The prosecution informed the court that the Commission was ready to proceed to trial, while the defence applied for bail on liberal terms.
After hearing both sides, Justice Akobi granted bail to the defendant in the sum of ₦2 million with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a public servant not below Grade Level 15, while the other must be an Abuja resident with a family and landed property bearing a valid Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).
The judge ordered that the second surety attach copies of their passport and C of O to the bail documents for verification, and directed that the defendant be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the fulfillment of her bail conditions.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, ICPC’s spokesperson and Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Demola Bakare, said the Commission will continue working with embassies and international partners to curb visa-related fraud and bring offenders to justice.
ICPC arraigns woman for forging documents to obtain UK visa
