The trial of one Marco Antonio Ramirez, an American businessman, for an alleged $368,698.24 fraud before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos could not continue on Wednesday due to the absence of the defence counsel, Lawal Pedro SAN.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ramirez on an amended nine-count charge alongside his companies: USA NOW LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP, and USA NOW Energy Capital Group LP.
He pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel for the EFCC, S.O. Daji, informed the court that he got in touch with the lead prosecuting counsel, Lawal Pedro SAN on Tuesday.
“I spoke with the learned silk yesterday, and he informed me that he would be in court,” he said.
He further told the court that a lawyer from Pedro’s Chambers, Theo Sunday, later got in touch with him, saying he was on his way to the court to represent the defendant when his car developed a fault and that he was trying to get it fixed.
However, even though the case was stood down, the defence counsel did not show up in court.
“Since it is for defence, we shall be obliging them an adjournment,” Daji said.
Subsequently, the matter was adjourned till Tuesday, June 27, 2023 “for continuation of defence.”
Meanwhile, Justice Dada also adjourned a separate amended 16-count charge against Ramirez and his companies till June 27, 2023.
The prosecuting counsel, M.S. Owede, informed the court that he got information that Pedro “went for a tribunal matter”.