Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, May 2, 2025, sentenced one Agudosi Christopher Okechukwu to six months in prison for failing to declare foreign currency at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Okechukwu was apprehended in December 2024 by officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) for not disclosing the amounts of £8,020 (Eight Thousand and Twenty British Pounds) and $704 (Seven Hundred and Four Dollars).
He was subsequently handed over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ikoyi for further investigation.
The EFCC arraigned him on April 15, 2025, on a two-count charge related to money laundering.
One of the charges reads, “That you, Agudosi Christopher Okechukwu, on the 10th day of December, 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of £8,020 (Eight Thousand and Twenty Pounds Sterling) 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.”
Upon being arraigned, Okechukwu pleaded guilty. Prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie, then presented EFCC operative Abubakar Magaji to review the facts of the case.
Magaji told the court that the convict was found with a total of £15,020 and $704. While he declared £7,000, he withheld £8,020 and the entire $704. According to Magaji, Okechukwu claimed he had just lost his brother and intended to use the undeclared funds to repatriate the corpse.
“He declared £7000 (Seven Thousand British Pounds) he kept back £8020 (Eight Thousand and Twenty Pounds Sterling) and $704 (Seven Hundred and Four Dollars), claiming that he lost his brother and was going to use the undeclared sums to fly his corpse back to the country.”
Following the plea and review of facts, Justice Bogoro sentenced Okechukwu to six months imprisonment on each count, with an option of a N200,000 fine on each count.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared £8,020 and $704 to the Federal Government.
