Imported User:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says a 52-year-old Italian, Mr Mauro Zanin, in its custody committed suicide in Abuja on Tuesday.
A statement issued by the commission's Spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, in Abuja on Tuesday said Zanin had been in detention since May 30 for allegedly defrauding Gladwaters Nigeria Ltd. of 111,000 dollars.
The statement said the deceased was arrested by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) following a complaint by one Ahamefula Chibuzor Ewuzie from whom he allegedly obtained the money fraudulently.
The agency said that ``the Italian was found dead a day before he was scheduled to appear in a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a five-count charge.''
It added” ``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 apparently committed suicide using his bed sheet. All efforts by the duty officers and a team of EFCC medical personnel, led by 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.''
The commission said that the deceased's arrest was communicated to the Italian embassy on May 31, the day he was granted bail but was unable to get a surety to take him on bail.
It added that while in detention, the deceased was visited on May 30 by Mr Nicola Bazzani, the First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission at the Italian Embassy.
It noted that Zanin was visited everyday by his Lawyer, Mr Ugochukwu Onyejiuto.
The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary, awaiting an autopsy, the statement said.
