The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, June 19, arraigned a Port Harcourt-based medical doctor, Nekabari Nathan, over an alleged N39.1 million visa fraud.

 

Mr Nathan was arraigned before Judge Pat Ajoku of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, South-south Nigeria, alongside his firm, Global Horizons Academy Ltd.

 

The defendants were charged with one count of obtaining by false pretence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

 

A statement by the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the defendant allegedly obtained the sum from one Judge Toojah Iyieagbu, Managing Director of Riskout Consults, under the pretence of securing travel visas and job placements in Canada, Ireland, and the United States of America for several clients.

 

The alleged offence was said to have taken place between 8 April and 12 December 2023 in Port Harcourt.

 

Mr Nathan pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday.

 

Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, A. Abubakar, asked the court to remand the defendant and fix a date for trial.

 

But the defence counsel, Friday Otanjah, urged the court to grant his client bail on medical grounds.

 

The judge adjourned the matter till 25 June for hearing of the bail application. He ordered that Mr Nathan be remanded in EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the bail application.

 

Mr Ajoku adjourned fixed 27 November for commencement of the trial.

 

According to the EFCC, Mr Nathan was arrested in February 2023 following a petition alleging that he presented himself as a certified caregiver trainer and travel agent capable of securing travel documents and employment abroad.

 

The petitioner said Mr Nathan approached Riskout Consults and convinced students enrolled in its training programme that he could arrange their relocation abroad and register them for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination.

 

Following this, the students reportedly transferred N39,157,000 to Mr Nathan. However, he allegedly failed to deliver the promised services and became unreachable, frustrating all efforts to recover the funds.