N17.7m fraud: Italian suspect commits suicide in EFCC custody

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, disclosed that a 52-year- old Italian, Mauro Zanin who was scheduled to face trial over an alleged 111,000 dollars (about N17.7 million) fraud, committed suicide in its custody in the early hours of Tuesday.A statement issued in Abuja by the commission's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, read: 'The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regrets to announce the passing of 52 years old Italian, Mr Mauro Zanin, a suspected fraudster, two days before he was scheduled to appear in court.'He was found motionless in the bathroom of the commission's detention facility in Abuja at about 4.50 a.m. on June 19, 2012. He had apparently committed suicide using his bed-sheet. All efforts by the duty officers and a team of EFCC medical personnel, led by Dr Gideon Osi of the commission's medical unit, to revive him with cardiopulmonary resuscitation proved futile. He was subsequently certified dead at about 5.45 a.m.'Though all clues point to suicide, the incident has been reported to the Nigeria Police station, Maitama for investigation.'The deceased was arrested by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service following a complaint by one Ahamefula Chibuzor Ewuzie that he fraudulently obtained the sum of $111,000 from Gladwaters Nigeria Limited, and transferred to the commission on May 30, 2012 for further investigation.'The commission had filed a five-count charge against him in court and got a Wednesday, June 20, 2012 as hearing date. He was served the court papers to prepare his defence yesterday.
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