Businessmen for Failure to Declare $5.3m

  
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday October 22, 2015 arraigned one Ojukwu Nnamdi Rowland before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos on one count charge bordering on bulk cash movement and money laundering.

Rowland was alleged to be in possession of US$2,917,272 (Two Million, Nine Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy Two United States Dollars) which he failed to declare to the authorities when he was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA,  en-route  to China.

The charge reads: “that Ojukwu Nnamdi Rowland on or about the 8th day of October, 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had in your possession cash in the sum of US$2,917,272 (Two Million, Nine Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy Two United States Dollars) during your outbound clearance for travel to Addis Ababa and failed to declare the said sum of US$2,917,272 to the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service as required under the provision of section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No.1 of 2012) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012)”.

When the charge was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, G.K Latona prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the accused in prison custody.

However, Justice Buba adjourned the case to November 2, and granted bail to the accused in the sum of N50 million, one surety in like sum. The surety is to have reliable means of livelihood and verifiable landed properties.
In the same vein, the EFCC also arraigned Ngene Linus Chibuike before Justice Buba on one count charge bordering on Money Laundering.

The accused was alleged to have declared only US$11,500 (Eleven Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars) while being in possession of US$2,495498  (Two Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Eight United States Dollars) which he failed to declare to the authorities at the MMIA.

The charge read: “Ngene Linus Chibuike on or about the 8th day of October, 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had in your possession cash in the sum of US$2,506,998 (Two Million, Five Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Eight United States Dollars) during your outbound clearance for travel to China en-route Addis Ababa and falsely declared the sum of US$11,500 (Eleven Thousand and Five Hundred United States Dollars) to the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).”

Justice Buba granted bail to the accused person and adjourned the case to November 2 for hearing.
 
 
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
22nd October, 2015