Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced one Okorie Sylvanus Sunday arrested on March 19th, 2025 by the Nigeria customs service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja,Lagos with unaccounted foreign currency  amount of $578,000 to six months imprisonment for money laundering without an option of fine.

Mr Sunday, who came in from South Africa, was sentenced on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

The Area Controller of MMIA, Comptroller  E.J. Harrison, had on Friday, March 21, 2025, handed the convict  to the acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Okotie Eboh , Ikoyi , Lagos for further investigations.

He was subsequently arraigned on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 on a four-count charge bordering on money laundering and counterfeit currency.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Okorie Sylvernus Sunday, on the 19th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $299,000 (Two Hundred and Ninety Nine Thousand United States Dollars), which you concealed in Relaxer containers to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

Consequently, Justice Dipeolu adjourned till March 26, 2025 for the commencement of trial and also ordered the defendant to be remanded in the Correctional Centre.

However, at the resumed sitting on Wednesday, defence counsel, U. Okoronkwo, told the court that the defendant would like to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty.”

In view of this prosecution counsel, C.C.Okezie, prayed the court to withdraw counts three and four of the charges. The judge, thereafter, removed both counts three and four of the charges preferred against the defendant.

However, while the defendant was about to change his plea, he slumped during the proceedings and was immediately taken to the clinic.

Thereafter, Okezie, told the court that  “We were informed by the clinic upstairs that he requires medical attention. However, the Correctional Centre does not have the facility to do so in time.”

Okezie, therefore, prayed the court to remand the defendant in the EFCC custody, so he could be “assisted, medically.”

The Judge remanded the defendant in the EFCC custody and also stood down the case.

When the court resumed sitting, the defendant “pleaded guilty” to the two-count charges preferred against him.

Following his guilty plea, Okezie, called both N.B. Tonbor, an operative of the NCS and Felicia Paul, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case . Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel , Tonbor told the court he works in the Anti-money Laundering Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. He added that his job entailed profiling passengers departing and arriving at the Airport.

He said: “ On March 19, 2025, at 9:10.p.m., Mr. Okorie Sunday approached the Currency Declaration Desk and was asked how much he had on him. He declared that he had the sum of $ 279,000.

“My team was not convinced by the declaration, so they searched further. By checking the bags , they found money concealed in a pack of cream . The said money was tied in a nylon and wrapped with a cello tape”.

“When it was unveiled, we saw various amounts and the sum total was counterfeit $299,000 United States Dollars and One Hundred Euros, which were not declared.

“Upon discovery of the money, a call was placed to our Area Comptroller, who gave the order for the passenger to be refrained. He was later handed over to the EFCC, being the body tasked to prosecute money launderers.”

When he was shown the declaration form and the handing-over note, the witness identified the Declaration Form of the defendant, the handing-over note from the Customs as well as the undeclared sums of money.

Okezie, thereafter, sought to tender , in evidence, the documents.Justice Dipeolu admitted and marked them as exhibits 1, 2 and 3.

In her review of the facts, Paul told the court that the NCS contacted the EFCC that it had arrested a suspect from South Africa, adding that “The defendant was handed over to the Commission along with the sum of $578,000 and €100.

“Thereafter, the defendant was interviewed. During the interview, he said he arrived in Nigeria and went to declare the cash that he brought to the country to the Nigeria Customs Service.

“After being interviewed under caution, he said he could not write; so, his son, Okorie Emeka, wrote his statement on his behalf .

 “ In his statement, he stated that he declared $279,000 , but did not declare $299,000 and €100.

“He said he did not declare them because he did not know the actual amount, as he was given the money by some of his friends from South Africa to give to a Bureau De Change operator in Ikeja, Lagos.”

Paul further told the court that Sunday was served with an administrative bail, but he could not fulfill the required conditions.

“ He was, therefore, detained in our custody and the bureau de change operator he was to give the money to was also invited to the office . His name is Abdul Rasheed Suleiman. He was interviewed and his statement was also recorded.”

Paul identified the statement of the defendant, statement of the bureau de change operator and the statement of the Nigeria Customs’ officer who handed over the defendant to the EFCC. The prosecution counsel then sought to tender, in evidence, the documents.

Justice Dipeolu admitted and marked them as exhibits 5 , 6 and 7, respectively.

 Delivering judgment , Justice Dipeolu held that “ I have read exhibits 5 and 7 as well as the statements of the defendant and found

the defendant guilty on counts 1 and 2. He is accordingly convicted as charged.”

Okezie prayed the court that the undeclared sums of Two Hundred and Ninety-nine United States Dollars ($299,000) and One Hundred Euros ( €100 ) be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and that the defendant be sentenced.

The defence counsel, while addressing the court, said that the defendant “is a first-time offender, who has no criminal record.

“ He pleaded guilty to the offences as captured at the next opportunity upon arraignment and did not waste the time of the court.”

He, therefore, urged the court “to see it as a sign of remorse.” He further described the convict as “a businessman, who allowed himself to be misled and did not know the extent and gravity of the offence.

“He has realised his decision was wrong and would do things differently. “

He, therefore, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy and consider forfeiture of the sums undeclared as a punishment in this circumstance.

Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment.

The Judge also ordered that the sums of Hundred and Ninety-nine United States Dollars ($299,000) and One Hundred Euros ( €100 ) be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.