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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