Olusola Alabi and Balogun Teslim, two visa applicants, have both been sentenced to two years in prison after being caught presenting fake documents to the United States embassy.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned the convicts before Justice Mojishola Dada of a Lagos State High Court, accusing them of violating Section 25(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, the spokesperson for ICPC committed in a statement, that the convicts obtained a false annual leave letter from the United Bank of Africa to mislead the US Consulate, Victoria Island, Lagos, so they could pretend to be employees of the bank in order to facilitate the approval of their visa applications.
The commission subsequently arraigned them on three counts bordering on procuring false documents to mislead a constituted authority.
The court was told by ICPC that the offence committed by the accused persons violated Section 25(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and was punishable under the same section.
Counsel for the convicts pleaded with the court to show mercy to them, saying they were first-time offenders and had cooperated fully with the prosecution.
Justice Dada, in her ruling, sentenced them to two years imprisonment each with an option of fine.