Court Remand American Over Alleged $1.2m Fraud
An American, Marco Antonio Ramirez, was Tuesday, remanded in prison custody by an Ikeja High Court of Lagos State.
The court presided over by Justice Akeem Oshodi, ordered the remand of the American after his not guilty plea was taken on nine counts charge of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The offences according to the EFCC are contrary to and punishable under sections 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.
Following the American’s not guilty plea to the charges, the prosecutor, S. O. Daji, urged the court for a trial date, while also asked the court to remand him in prison custody.
Responding, counsel to the American, Ademola Adefolaju, while informed the court that he is opposed to the trial date as requested by the prosecutor, however, told the court that his client had been arraigned over the same allegations and same parties.
He therefore pleaded with the court to let his client continue with the earlier bail granted him by Justice Mojisola Dada, when he was formerly charged on 12 counts charge on the same allegations.
Justice Oshodi in his ruling, ordered that the American be remanded in prison custody, while fixed October 8, for trial.
The American and his companies were first sometimes in June 22, 2017, before Justice Josephine Oyefeso, on 16 counts charge of the offences and pleaded not guilty to the alleged crimes.
Following his not guilty plea, he was admitted to bail in the sum of $25, 000 USD.
Midway to the defendant’s trial, his case file was transferred to Justice Dada and they were consequently rearraigned on 12 counts charge before they were rearraigned today on a nine counts charge of the same offences.
Arraigning the American Tuesday, the prosecutor, S. O. Daji, told the court that the defendant alongside his companies: USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP and USA Now Capital Group, with an intent to defraud, obtained the total sum of $1.229,800 million, from three Nigerians under the disguise of getting them America’s Green Cards.
Those allegedly defrauded by the American and his firms of the said sums are: Ambassador Godson Echejue, Abubakar Umar Sodiq and Olukayode Sodimu.
