A United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Emmanuel Makinde, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, how a travel consultant allegedly listed another woman as his wife in a visa application without his knowledge, a development he said later led to the rejection of his spouse visa request.
Makinde made the allegation on Thursday while testifying before Justice Ademuyiwa Oyeyipo in an ongoing criminal case involving travel agent, Waliyu Shitta.
The witness told the court that the defendant falsely presented one Dolapo Yusuf as his legally married wife during the processing of his UK student visa application in 2022.
According to Makinde, the issue only came to light after he applied to bring his actual wife to the United Kingdom following the completion of her studies in 2024.
He explained that during the visa application process, he had repeatedly informed the travel agent that he was single and was applying alone without any dependants.
Makinde said trouble began when he received a message from the UK Home Office requesting evidence that a previous marriage on record had been legally dissolved.
“I was surprised because I have never been married to anyone other than my wife,” he told the court.
The witness said he immediately forwarded the Home Office correspondence and a voice message explaining the situation to the defendant, but claimed that the travel agent blocked him on WhatsApp after viewing the messages.
Makinde further testified that he sought help from his pastor, Aregbesola Sanyanolu of the Celestial Church of Christ, Jerusalem Parish, Ado-Ekiti, who had introduced him to the defendant.
However, he said the cleric later stopped responding to his calls and messages after he suggested reporting the matter to law enforcement authorities.
He told the court that he subsequently informed the UK Home Office that he had never entered into any marriage apart from the one with his current wife.
Despite the clarification, the application was rejected because British immigration authorities believed he already had an existing marriage record in the country.
“The visa application was refused because the Home Office believed I already had a marriage on record in the United Kingdom,” Makinde said.
The witness also alleged that during the visa application process, the defendant instructed him to answer in the affirmative when officials asked at his biometric appointment whether additional documents had been uploaded on his behalf.
He maintained that he never authorised the inclusion of Dolapo Yusuf as his spouse in any immigration document and insisted that his application was submitted as a single applicant.
Following the testimony, Justice Oyeyipo adjourned the matter until October 7 for the continuation of hearing.
Shitta is facing prosecution by the police over allegations that he falsely listed Yusuf as Makinde’s wife in a visa application to facilitate her travel abroad.
