Court Jails US-Bound Traveller For Undeclared $20,000, Orders Forfeiture To FG
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a United States of America-bound traveller, Olusola Okunfulure, to three months imprisonment for money laundering. Justice Deinde Dipeolu also ordered the convict to forfeit to the Federal Government the sum of $20,000 confiscated from him by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). Okunfulure was arrested by NCS officials on March 28, 2025, during inward clearance of passengers for an evening flight to the USA via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following his failure to declare the sum of $20,000. He was immediately handed over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos for further investigations. The EFCC arraigned him before the court on Wednesday on a one-count charge bordering on money laundering. The count reads: “That you, Okunfulure Olusola Steve, on the 28th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $20,000 (Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”. The defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to him. Justice Dipeolu then invited the EFCC to present its evidence against the defendant. Through its counsel, Chineye Okezie, the EFCC called one of its operatives, Felicia Paul, to review the facts of the case. Paul, while giving details of how she knew the defendant, told the court that the NCS handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC on Friday, March 28, 2025. The operative also told the court that the defendant was arrested with the sum of $30,000, which he failed to declare. She further told the court that “ his statement was recorded under caution and was served with the bail conditions.” Thereafter, she identified the defendant’s statement, the handing-over note from the NCS, the arresting officer’s statement as well and the sum of $30,000(Thirty Thousand US Dollars) to the EFCC. Okezie then sought to tender, in evidence, the documents. Justice Dipeolu admitted and marked them as exhibits 1,2,3, and 4 and held, “I have read the exhibits, the statement of the defendant, and I found him guilty. He is accordingly convicted as charged.” Since a traveller is allowed by law to have $10,000 in his possession without declaration, the EFCC’s counsel asked the court to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria the undeclared sum of $20,000. The commission also asked that the defendant be jailed. Defence counsel, Joel Ogundire, while addressing the court, said that the defendant “is a first-time offender and is not aware of the disclosure policy. He is a family man who has responsibilities. His bank account shows the legitimacy of the funds.” He also asked the court to “magnanimously waive any prison sentence”, adding that the convict would not mind forfeiting the sum of money or pay a fine. Upholding the EFCC’s case, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Okunfulure to three months imprisonment with effect from the date of his arrest on March 28, 2025. The Judge also ordered that the money be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The judge said, “I have considered the plea of the convict and the fact that he did not waste the time of the court as well as all the mitigating factors. “I hereby order the convict to forfeit the sum of $20,000 to the Federal Government of Nigeria and for his imprisonment for three months”. The convict, Okunfulure, was a departing passenger on Delta Airlines to Atlanta, United States. While being profiled at the Currency Declaration Desk, the NCS discovered that he had failed to declare the foreign currency in his possession. He claimed he did not know that he ought to declare the money. The anti-graft agency told the court that the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Admin | 2025-04-03 13:18:27