The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal today,
Friday, July 14, 2017 upheld the February 9, 2016 judgment of Justice I.N Buba
of the Federal High Court Lagos, which convicted and sentenced Mr. Ngene Linus
Chibuike to two years imprisonment and ordered the forfeiture of the
undeclared sum of $2,506,998 (Two Million, Five Hundred and Six Thousand,
Nine hundred and Ninety Eight United States Dollars) to the Federal Government
of Nigeria.
The convict was arrested on October 8, 2015 at Murtala Muhammed
International Airport during an outbound clearance for a journey to China
en-route Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with an undeclared sum of $2,506,998 (Two Million, Five
Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine hundred and Ninety Eight United States Dollars)
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned the convict, on
December 22, 2015 on one count charge for “falsely declaring the sum of $11,500
(Eleven Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars) instead of $2,506,998
(Two Million, Five Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine hundred and Ninety Eight
United States Dollars) he had in his possession to the officers 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)”
Chibuike had pleaded not guilty to the charge and the matter
went into full trial.
Justice Buba found him guilty and sentenced him to two years
imprisonment. Not satisfied, the convict approached the court of appeal
for reprieve, which was refused today.
The prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho thanked the appellate
court for affirming the judgment of the lower court in the interest of justice.
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