Amedeo (the defendant) was paraded in the Delta State high court sitting in Warri on an 8-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $18,023.96.
Troubles began after one Vivian Varotto-Guigoz, a citizen of Switzerland, petitoned the EFCC alleging that she met one Amedeo William Dante online.
He had claimed to be an Italian living in the United Kingdom on a social media site called “Badoo”.
They became lovers, exchanging emotions, love and thereafter cash.
She alleged that on several occasions, between 12 May and 14 October, 2015, she transferred a total sum of CHF 196,701,44 and EUR 15, 957.43 to different individuals.
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These people are in the United Kingdom, Canada and Nigeria respectively.
The monies were paid at the request of Dante, for reasons which she later discovered to be lies and fraudulent.
The payments were allegedly made in five installments:
Two into British accounts belonging to Amedeo William Dante and Dittimi Tamara-Finide, while three were made into Nigerian accounts belonging to Alhassan Davide and Edin Obaro.
The petitioner also alleged that the defendant was reaching her through some English, Canadian and Nigerian phone numbers.
The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read out to him.
In view of his pleas, the prosecution counsel, M. T. Iko asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.
However, counsel to the defendant, K. D Alufe, made an oral application for bail for his client pending the commencement of his trial.
He argued that the alleged offences were not capital ofences and therefore bailable and that the defendant did not jump an earlier administrative bail by the prosecution..
In his ruling, Justice Obile granted the bail on the sum of N3, 000,000.00 (Three Million Naira), one surety in like sum which must be a public servant in the service of Federal or Delta state government on grade level 12 and above.
The defendant and the surety must depose to an affidavit of means among other conditions.
The defendant was remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned to 10 May, 2018 for trial.
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