A Nigerian man, Samuel Adewale, and six other co-conspirators will appear before a court in Toronto today (Wednesday) after they were nabbed by Canadian authorities for allegedly running an elaborate pay-to-pass driving test centre.
It was learnt that the six co-defendants include Farhad Sanders, 43; Abdulkarim Afrayim Sava, 65; Ahmed Ismail Ghanchi, 44; Michelle Miceli, 49; Shanna Marie Tozer, 43; and Elizabeth Taylor, 50.
According to reports, the seven suspects have been charged with a total of 25 criminal offences, including bribery, secret commissions, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, breach of trust and money laundering.
The CBC News reported that the probe into Mr Adewale, 65, and his gang was a joint operation between Ontario Provincial Police and the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General which started in 2024 after their operations were first flagged.
Authorities said they detected “suspected irregularities” in the driver examination process for G class licences in Ontario, prompting them to expand the scope of their enquiry.
During the investigation, police said they found that the defendants had accepted bribes to give driving applicants at DriveTest centres “favourable consideration” during testing, helping them pass more easily rather than solely on merit.
Mr Adewale and his co-conspirators across the Greater Toronto Area were later exposed to be behind the scam, resulting in their arrest by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the subsequent charges against them.
They are all scheduled to make their first appearances before a judge today.
“The OPP is committed to keeping Ontario safe. This investigation reflects our ongoing responsibility to protect the public and ensure that systems designed to keep people safe are not undermined,” Jennifer Spurrell, the Detective Superintendent of the OPP Financial Crime Services, said.
Meanwhile, the case has sparked concerns among netizens about the competency of drivers who passed through driving centres even in developed countries. An Instagram user @shell.m.79 stated “It’s no wonder there are more accidents these days.”
“Everyone who passed through the examiners involved should be required to do a free retest to ensure public safety and fairness,” another user @1111_zi_1111 commented.
@kingsupremehq was excited that the suspects are finally being made to face the law stating, “Well we knew this was happening finally see some charges laid this the wild wild west for real!!.”
“It’s high time. Jail time. All driving licence testing in small towns have to be scrutinized towns like Clinton where buses full of East Indian show up from Brampton and surrounding areas. The sad part is some good drivers that should pass do not accommodate these would-be new drivers. Some do not even speak English,” @mu55ani said.
