A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed June 2, 2021 for the trial of two Italians, Paolo Prono and Gianfranco Albertazzi, who were charged with alleged conspiracy and forgery by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Justice Mohammed Liman fixed the date after the duo failed to appear before the court on Wednesday to take their plea on the charges against them.
They were charged alongside their company, Borini Prono and Company and one A. Prono, who is said to be at large.
According to file number FHC/L/338c/2020, they were accused of forging the signature of one Christopher Uzodike, as well as forging several documents and invoices belonging to his company, Land Technology Limited.
They were said to have forged the company’s invoices with serial numbers 00019, 00024, 00012, 00139 and 0034 with an intent that it may be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of Mr Uzodike.
The defendants were alleged to have committed the offence between 2008 and 2009 in Lagos State.
The offences, according to the AGF’s counsel, Mrs Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, contravened sections 3(6) and 1(2)(c) and punishable under section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count one of the charges against the defendants reads, “That you, Borini Prono & Company Nigeria Limited, Paolo Brono ‘M’, Gianfranco Albertazzi ‘M’ and one other (A. Prono), now at large, between 2008 and 2009, in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Lagos, did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: forgery of signatures of Christopher Uzodike and invoices of Land Technologies Limited, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3(6),1(2)(c), and punishable under section 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
