Lawyer withdraws from trials of American over alleged N350m fraud

A lawyer, Mr Ademola Adefolaju, on Friday withdrew his legal
services an American, Marco Ramirez, who allegedly defrauded five
Nigerians of 1.5 million dollars in a green card scam.
Adefolaju on Friday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court that
Ramirez, failed to pay his legal fees.

The EFCC charged Ramirez with defrauding two Nigerians – Gabriel
Edeoghon and Oludare Talabi of 388,838 dollars about ( N140 million
Naira).

The EFCC alleged that Ramirez, who has two other criminal cases
before the Special Offences Court, is a prolific con artist.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, Adefolaju told the
court he had filed notice of withdrawal of his service as defence
counsel in the case.

“My Lord, we have before the court a notice of withdrawal
brought pursuant to Section 234(2) of the Administration of
Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State.

“We hereby withdraw from the case, our brief has not yet been
perfected by the defendant,” he said.

Adefolaju also told the court that he would not be moving the
application for the bail of Ramirez who had been remanded in the
custody of the EFCC .

Reacting to the claim of the defence counsel, Mr Samuel Daji,
the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC denied being served a copy of
the notice of withdrawal.

“I was not served a copy of their application even the
counter-affidavit to their bail application was served on them two
days ago. This is a ploy to delay the trial,” Daji said.

Justice Mojisola Dada said that the notice of withdrawal was
immature because she noticed it was served on the prosecution the
previous day instead of three days prior as required by law.

“The defendant has 30 days to get another counsel of his choice
to defend himself,” she said.

Upon hearing that the trial will be adjourned for another month,
the American pleaded with the court.

“I have been in EFCC custody for nine months. I ask forgiveness
from the court and the complainants who are present in court.

“I have been arrested nine times and I have had charges brought
against me five times.

“I have appointed attorneys for my trials in Abuja who can come
down to Lagos next week to defend me,” Ramirez said.

Upon hearing the plea of the American, Justice Dada adjourned
the case.

“This case is adjourned to Wednesday, Nov. 13 for trial on the
plea of the defendant,” she said.

NAN reports that Ramirez is standing trial alongside his
companies – U.S. Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP.

According to Daji, the defendant committed the alleged offences
in 2013 and 2014 in Lagos.

He alleged that the defendant received 291,290 dollars on three
occasions between May 22 and July 26, 2013 from Edeoghon.

The American was also alleged to have received on six occasions
between Feb. 28, 2014 and April 17, 2014, 97,549 dollars from
Talabi.

“He falsely represented to the defendants that the funds were
investments into his companies in the Employment-Based Fifth
Preference (EB-5) United States of America Investor Programme.

“Ramirez also falsely informed the complainants that their
investments will qualify them to be eligible for a USA Green
Card.

“The offence contravenes Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud
and Other Fraud Related Offences Act,” Daji said.

The defendant, in the second suit, is alleged to have defrauded
three Nigerians- Amb. Godson Echejue, Mr Abubakar Umar and Mr
Olukayode Sodimu of 1.2million dollars.