He was arrested for unlawful possession of One Hundred and Fifty Nine thousand, Two Hundred United States Dollars ($159,200) which is suspected to be proceeds of money laundering and was later transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, arraigned Augustine Anidiobi Chibuike before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Lagos on one count of money Laundering.
Chibuike, was arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on January 12, 2013 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during an inward clearance of passengers on Emirate Airlines from Malaysia.
He was arrested for unlawful possession of One Hundred and Fifty Nine thousand, Two Hundred United States Dollars ($159,200) which is suspected to be proceeds of money laundering and was later transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
The charge read:
That You, "Augustine Anidiobu Chibuike on or about the 12th of January, 2013 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had in your possession cash in the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Nine thousand, Two Hundred United States of America Dollars ($159,200) which you transported from Malaysia via Dubai to Lagos, and failed to declare the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Nine thousand, Two Hundred United States of America Dollars ($159,200) to the officers and men of the Nigerian Custom Service as required under the provisions 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(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No.1 of 2012).
When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.
In view of the plea, prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.
The defense counsel, Hycinth Odu urged the court for a short adjourned date to file an application for bail and for the defendant to remain in the EFCC custody, pending the hearing of bail application.
However, Justice Abang ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi prison pending the consideration of his bail application. The case is adjourned till June 23, 2015 for hearing of bail application.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
17th April, 2015