Friday, 24 May 2013
EFCC Press Release: Money Laundering: Court Jails Cash Courier Over $286,400
Ikem Sabastine Ikechukwu
By Wilson Uwujaren- Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Okechukwu Okeke on Friday, November 23, 2012 convicted a bulk cash courier arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and ordered him to forfeit 25% of the $286,400.00(Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Four Hundred United States Dollars) not declared to the security agencies before he was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The courier, Ikem Sabastine Ikechukwu, was intercepted by operatives of the EFCC, on Saturday, 29 September, 2012 carrying $286,400.00( Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand Four Hundred United States Dollars) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport , Lagos on his way to Dubai , United Arab Emirates . He only declared the sum of $225,900.00(Two Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand, Nine Hundred United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service.
The EFCC, on Friday, November 23, arraigned him on a one count charge of money laundering. The one count charge against Ikechukwu reads: “That you Ikem Sabastine Ikechukwu on or about the 29th of September 2012 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while transporting in cash the sum of $286, 400.00 (Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Four Hundred Dollars) only from Nigeria to Dubai, United Arab Emirates falsely declared to the Nigerian Customs Service the sum of $225,900.00 (Two Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand, Nine Hundred Dollars) only instead of the said sum of $286,400.00 (Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Four Hundred Dollars) 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”.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge. Based on his plea, prosecuting counsel, A.M. Aliyu prayed the court to convict him. The defence counsel, B. O. Ndakara however pleaded with the court for leniency as the accused person was a first-time offender who did not waste the court’s time, “I pray the court to apply discretion in the terms of punishment to be awarded to the convict", he told the court.
Justice Okeke convicted the accused person as charged. He ruled that based on the provisions of Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, the accused person should forfeit 25 percent of the undeclared sum which is $60,500 (Sixty Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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SMALL FRIES
Submitted by Baba (not verified) on December 8, 2012 - 14:10.
Efcc-when are you going to jail the babalakis, the bola tiinubus, the mike adenugas, and the akingbolas of this nation-leave the small fries-let us make example of the big blokos -this masquerade and voodoo charging of more chop chop thieves do not impress me-the country has eventually divided into haves and have nots but efcc is going after the small thives-abi make my self go steal billions? All it takes is to hire a few SANs, bribe the judge and call KSA to abuse my detractors-na wa for Naija!
many will be judges by God when we get to heaven
Submitted by ayo okilo (not verified) on November 29, 2012 - 16:46.
THIS IS NEVER A SURPRISE TO ME BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE DYING IN JAIL BECAUSE OF FIVE HUNDRED NAIRA ONLY (500)WHILE SOME SET OF PEOPLE ARE JUST USING GHANA MUST GO TO CARRY MILLIONS OF MONEY ON DAILY BASIS PER SITING,JUST PER MEETING WHICH ORDINARILY THEY DONT DISCUSS ANY MEANINGFUL ISSUE,BUT BECAUSE SOMEONE IS TAKING MONEY TO TRANSACT BUSINESS IN DUBAI HE WAS ARRESTED,(OLORUN MA REJO DA LORUN),GOD WILL JUDGE MANY PEOPLE BASE ON THE WAY THEY HANDLE ISSUE WHILE ON EARTH.
Money Laundering
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 29, 2012 - 07:22.
We waste our precious time in this country going after the innocent public. What of all the government officials and boliticians???? those illitrates seating in Abuja? Who has risked searching them on their way out?
The court should legally handover this man's money to him. Crazy Nigerians!
NA WA O! SAME OLD NONSENSE-
Submitted by taiye (not verified) on November 28, 2012 - 12:41.
NA WA O! SAME OLD NONSENSE- SO BECAUSE THIS MAN WAS CARRYING HARD MONEY HE HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND BROUGHT TO COURT, WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO MOVE STOLEN PUBLIC MONEY ELECTRONICALLY? I'M TALKING ABOUT THE BIG WIGS IN THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY WHO PROBABLY THINK THAT THEY ARE ABOVE THE LAW- THIS INCLUDES RELIGIOUS LEADERS, POLITICIANS, BANKERS, TRADITIONAL RULERS CIVIL SERVANTS SEF ETC. I THINK WE NEED TO CALL ON GOD ALMIGHTY TO COME DOWN HIMSELF & PASS JUDGEMENT COS WE'RE JUST FOOLING OURSELVES PRESENTLY PROSECUTING THIS PERSON & NOT THE OTHER. INDEED NIJA FOR SHOW
Same old mess-the entire
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 27, 2012 - 19:13.
Same old mess-the entire story does not make sense one little bit-who convicted andy uba for a similar offence in the USA while RIBADU was with OBJ-the same Uba ended up becoming the go to in the case between ibori and ribadu again-efcc However, efcc should stop disturbing us with this little stories-go for the governors the way u went for Alams and ibori-Aware u cant cause theirs theirs and theirs-has to dop with the region-we hail---I better not say it now-else Buhari will go for anoda vote count for brother jonah
EFFCC'S EFFICIENCY
Submitted by wazobia (not verified) on November 24, 2012 - 23:24.
THE POOR BUSINESSMAN WAS CHARGED AND CONVICTED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF HIS ARREST!!!. ALL THE "THIEF-GOVERNORS" ARE NOW "DISTINGUISHED" SENATORS!, ALL THE THIEVES OF POWER SUPPLY CONTRACTS ARE FREE!, FAROUQ LAWAL WILL BE "VINDICATED"!, PENSION FRAUDSTERS WILL BE FREED FOR "LACK OF EVIDENCE" AND OIL SUBSIDY THIEVES ARE ALLOWED TO "NEGOTIATE" WITH THE SAME EFCC!!. WHAT A COUNTRY!!!. OUR RULERS BELIEVE WE ARE DEAF AND DUMB BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT ALL THE INJUSTICES WE SUFFER!!!.
ALMIGHTY ALLAH WILL SURELY INTERVENE SO LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO PRAY!!!.
NO PLEA-BARGAIN FOR SMALL GUY
Submitted by osita DIOKA (not verified) on November 24, 2012 - 16:43.
The two legal realities in Nigeria,one leads to conviction and prison for the small and unconnected commoner,the other leads to plea-bargain,freedom and freedom to engage in more looting, this is for the rich,connected and their families.
EFCC SHOULD ALWAYS TELL NIGERIANS THE TRUTH
Submitted by ISRAEL MANJI (not verified) on November 24, 2012 - 16:33.
EFCC should be telling us about all those BIGFISHS in the govmt stealing our money getin away with it, and not individual bussinesman on the street pls.
bunch of stupid people. the
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 24, 2012 - 15:56.
bunch of stupid people. the real criminals will never be caught. why are you parading the citizens instead of facing the political holders.
Comment
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 24, 2012 - 14:48.
Mr Ikem Sabatine Ikechukwu is jus a single individual Nigeria travelin to Dubai wit $286,400:00 he declared
only $225,900:00 to d Custom n later they decover d remainin dollars so he was charged to court n d verdict is that, Mr Ikem wil hav to fortified 25% of d total moneies. Mr Otedolar gav bribe of $650,000:00 to Senator Faruq Lawan. Pls need ure respond.
Jonathan Must Trace Otedola/Senator Lawan's Crime Dollars Now!
Submitted by Sunday Njokede on November 24, 2012 - 13:37.
Charge and bail! Why didn't Jonathan go after Otedola and senator Lawan's 620,000 crime dollars and confiscate money? This government has been more interested in taking money from criminals recently than sending them to jail for correction. Likewise, Jonathan also wants the Ibori money which should normally go to Delta state. This government is always looking for money to steal. But, what is he doing with all that money whilst Nigeria continues to borrow?
