Friday, April 17, 2026 - The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has secured the conviction of one Remilekun Temitope Balogun-Okedeyi for forging employment documents of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to facilitate a fraudulent visa application.
ICPC said the conviction followed investigations into a visa
fraud scheme in which the defendant falsely presented herself as an employee of
NAFDAC, using forged employment and promotion letters, an identity card, and an
introduction letter purportedly issued by the agency.
The case, filed under Charge No. ID/27346C/2025 (FRN v.
Remilekun Temitope Balogun-Okedeyi), originated from a petition by the British
Deputy High Commission that exposed a visa racketeering syndicate allegedly led
by Olusegun Ojo Adigun.
Further investigations, according to ICPC, revealed that the
syndicate was linked to at least sixteen visa applications and specialised in
facilitating travel to the United Kingdom using falsified supporting documents.
“At the centre of the case was the defendant’s deliberate
misrepresentation of her employment status,” the Commission said.
ICPC said that its findings established that Balogun-Okedeyi
was never employed by NAFDAC, rendering all documents attributed to the agency,
false and misleading.
In addition to the forged NAFDAC documents, the defendant
also submitted a falsified bank statement allegedly issued by Chanelle
Microfinance Bank for the period of January to July 2025. Investigations,
however, confirmed that she did not operate any account with the bank.
Following the investigation, the defendant was charged with
a six-count charge bordering on forgery and provision of false information,
contrary to Sections 13 and 17 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Act, 2000.
The matter was heard before Honourable Justice Mojisola Dada
of the Ikeja Special Offences Court, Court 13.
During proceedings, the defendant, through her counsel,
Grace Adenubi (Esq.), sought a plea bargain arrangement, which was agreed to by
the Commission.
The charge was subsequently amended to a one-count
information, to which she pleaded guilty.
The prosecution team—Yvonne William-Mbata, Roseline Eze, and
Oluwayemisi Pereira—presented evidence through an investigator,
Onyemauchechukwu Ezike, who tendered documentary exhibits before the court.
In her judgment, Justice Dada sentenced the defendant to one
year imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N500,000 payable to the Federal
Government within seven days.
The court further ordered two days of community service to
be carried out outside the court premises and directed the defendant to enter
into a bond of good behaviour to be recorded in the Lagos State Judiciary
database.
The conviction highlights the Commission’s resolve to clamp
down on the falsification of official documents, particularly the impersonation
of government institutions such as NAFDAC for fraudulent purposes.
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