EFCC re-arrests convicted Italian for contempt of court

News Agency Of Nigeria

December 23, 2023 10:05 PM

According to the EFCC Spokesman, the Judge sentenced the Italian convict to three years in prison.

A file photo of EFCC officials. [Punch]

The EFCC has re-arrested a convicted Italian, Floriana De-Stefani, for failing to obey a court order upon her conviction by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Oyewale said the judge on Oct. 7, 2022, found De-Stefani guilty of using false documents and counterfeit seals to confer on herself ownership of a property.

He said that the property belonged to a company, Waterside Properties Limited, an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

According to him, Dada while delivering judgment, sentenced the convict to three years in prison and also ordered the release of the property on 14 A&B Warring Road (formerly Bayo Kuku Road), Ikoyi, Lagos to Waterside Properties Limited within three weeks.

He said that De-Stefani was, however, re-arrested on Dec.19, 2023, for refusing to vacate the property ordered for release to the company by the court.

”Following her arrest on Tuesday, she was also issued a notice by the Commission to vacate the property within seven days or risk legal actions.

“De-Stefani, alongside Stella Ndubuisi Ogboju, was first arraigned on March 30, 2019, on a five-count charge bordering on forgery and stealing of a property belonging to a company, Waterside Properties Limited.

“The charges were later amended by the prosecution counsel, Ahmed Yerima, to a six-count charge,” he said.

He said one of the amended charges read: “That you, Floriana De-Stefani, sometime in 2015, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable court, dishonestly converted for your use a property known and situated at No.14A/B Warring Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, a property of Waterside Properties Limited.”

News Agency Of Nigeria