EFCC Arraigns Fraudster For 275, 000 Bails

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Friday charged an Italian, Floriana De Stefani, and a Nigerian Stella Ndubusi Ogboru, with property fraud at an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

De Stefani and Ogboru were arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on a five-count charge of forgery and stealing of a property belonging to a firm, Waterside Properties Ltd.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Mrs. Floriana De Stefani and Stella Ndubusi Ogboru, sometime in the year 2015 at Lagos, with dishonest intention, forged document titled, “Deed Of Assignment Dated 1983 prepared By Rosamond O. Bakare”, purported to have been entered between Mr. E.A. Abayomi Lowo on behalf of Waterside Properties Ltd, on the first part and the late Luca Signorelli and Mrs. Floriana De Stefani, on the second part.”

Both defendants pleaded “not guilty”.

EFCC counsel, Ahmed Yerima, asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendants in prison.

But defence counsel, O. Adeola, opposed him and moved an application for the defendants’ bail.

In a bench ruling, Justice Dada granted each defendant N250, 000 bail with one surety in the like sum, among other conditions.

They were also ordered to submit their international passports to the EFCC, failure of which they should be remanded in prison.

The defendants were also ordered to be released to their counsel pending the determination of the case.

The case continues on May 6.