Visa applicant sentenced to 3 years for lying about his marital status

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday sentenced a UK visa applicant, Kolawole Viyon, to three years imprisonment for giving false information about his marital status.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned Mr Viyon for allegedly lying about his marital status.

Justice Mojisola Dada, who gave the ruling, said the accused was guilty as charged.

Following a plea bargain entered into with the prosecution, the judge, however, gave Mr Viyon an option of N300,000 fine.

“Following the defendant’s guilty plea, he is hereby convicted accordingly.

“The terms of the plea bargain agreement are hereby adopted as the sentence of this court and the judgment thereof.

“He is hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment or the fine imposed,” the judge said.

The judge, however, noted that if the fine was not paid within 24 hours, “ mr Viyon will have to mandatorily serve his prison term.”

But the convicts’ counsel, Hannah Adeyemi, told the court that he was ready with the N300,000 cash to effect the court’s judgment.

ICPC through its counsel, Gogodoye West, told the court that the defendant with another, Olaronke Akerele, committed the offence on December 13, 2016, at the ICPC Lagos Zonal Office.