Money Laundering: July 12 Is Judgment Day for Aminu Sule Lamido

Justice Fatu Riman of the Federal High Court, Kano will on Friday July 12, 2013 deliver judgment in the case of money laundering involving Aminu Sule Lamido, son of Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

Aminu who was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on December 11, 2012 on his way to Egypt, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for allegedly under declaring the money found on him.

The charge against the accused reads: “that you Aminu Sule Lamido on or about 11^th day of December, 2012 at the Mallam Aminu International Airport, Kano within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while transporting in cash, the sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) from Nigeria to Cairo, Egypt, falsely declare to the Nigerian Customs the sum of $10,000 (Ten Thousand Dollars Only) instead of the said sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) as required under Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011”.

In the course of trial which got underway April 19, 2013, the prosecution called four witnesses and tendered documents which were admitted as exhibits. One of its witnesses, Sanusi Ahmed who is an operative of the EFCC, told the court that the accused person only registered $10,000 in the Nigerian Customs Declaration Form only for a search to reveal that he had $50,000 on him. He identified the Customs Declaration Form when it was shown to him. The document was accepted by court as exhibit 1.

The two witnesses called by the defence are the Chief Press Secretary to the Jigawa State Governor, Umar Kyare and the wife of the accused, Samira Aminu Sule.

At the resumed hearing on Monday July 8, 2013, the defence counsel, E. O Effiong, SAN and the prosecuting counsel, Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad presented their final address. The court adopted their written address and reserved ruling for Friday July 12, 2013.