HIGH COURT: a High Court sitting in Lagos State on Monday dismissed an application to vary bail conditions brought before the honourable court by Marco Ramirez, who was accused of defrauding three Nigerians of $565,000 in a green card fraud.

Marco Ramirez was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 16 counts charges bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and conspiracy to commit fraud which the accused Marco pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Lawyer to Marco, Ademola Adefolaju urge the court to vary the bail conditions granted to his client on July 10 by Justice Josephine Oyefeso.

Counsel to Marco, Adefolaju informed the court that, “The Defendant is in custody that is why he is not here; we would like my Lord to vary the bail conditions. The defendant has been unable to get an executive director of a company as a surety.”

The bail variation application by Marco’s lawyer was opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC counsel, Mr. M.F. Owede, informed the honourable court that the Defendant, Marco Ramirez was an international fugitive.

Owede said, “The Defendant is a fugitive in the United State of America, U.S.A. and he is already flagged by the Interpol; despite this, he was still granted bail on liberal terms,” Owede said.

The hon. Justice Oshodi, presiding as a vacation judge, ruling on the bail variation application, noted that the application could not be heard because the Defendant, Marco Ramirez was not present in court.

Justice Oshodi informed parties that he could not overrule Justice Oyefeso, the judge handling the case and that the application was incompetent because there was nothing before the court to prove Ramirez’s alleged ill health.

“There is nothing before this court to support the claims of the defendant. The application is dismissed and I order that the file should be returned to the registry,” Oshodi said.

Ramirez who is the Managing Director of three companies, USA Now Plc, Eagleford Instalodge Group and USA Now Energy Capital Group was accused by the EFCC of allegedly collecting $10,000 from one Olukayode Sodimu under false pretences that the money was meant to facilitate an American Green Card with the US Immigration Services.

The American national was further accused of fraudulently obtaining $10,000 from one Abubakar Umar through a fictitious investment programme in the US in order for the latter to be eligible for a US green card.