The Federal High Court in Enugu on Thursday sentenced one Samuel Duru to six months imprisonment for failing to declare $96,000 dollars at the airport.
It also ordered the forfeiture of the excess of the undeclared amount to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The counsel to the anti-graft agency, Michael Oni, told the court that Duru was arrested in December 2015 at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu as he was to board a flight to China.
Oni said the accused had declared to the airport officials that he had only $10,000 with him, but upon a search, $96,000 was found on him, which prompted them to invite the EFCC.
He said the accused person was later charged to court for money laundering and false declaration of his cash.
Duru pleaded guilty to both charges.
The defence counsel, Ikuka Kennedy, appealed to the court to tamper justice with mercy as his client had pleaded guilty to the offences.
Kennedy said: “My client is a businessman at Ariariah International Market, Aba and his business is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“He is a genuine businessman as well as a first-time offender.”
Ruling on the matter, Justice M. N. Yunusa said under the Criminal Administration of Justice Act, he was not under compulsion to make use of the plea bargain option as the evidence produced by the prosecution counsel was sufficient to convict the accused.
Yunusa sentenced the accused to six months imprisonment running from the day of his arrest and the forfeiture of the balance he failed to declare to the EFCC.
In another development, the court sentenced Frank Joseph and Valentine Nwuba to two years imprisonment each for conspiracy, forgery and altering.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Ajobiewe, said the accused persons were arrested in March as they requested for one Abdullahi Adamu’s ATM card from his bank without his consent.
Ajobiewe said the first accused person hailed from Jos, Plateau State and worked as a security man, while the second accused was a final year student of engineering at the Institute of Management and Technology in Enugu.
On his part, the defence counsel, Boniface Mbah, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy as his clients acted out of youthful exuberance.
Mbah urged the court to give them corrective measure instead of retributive punishment, adding that his clients were just making attempts and had not benefitted from the offence they were accused of.
The judge held that the evidence showed that the accused persons committed the crime and deserved conviction.
He gave the first accused two years for each of the three counts, which will run concurrently, and the second accused two years imprisonment.
Trending
- Alleged illegal demolition of family building: Octogenarian leads protest to Lagos Assembly
- Court remands cleric for alleged rape
- Edo 2024: Court strikes out suits seeking to nullify Ighodalo’s PDP candidacy
- Ikenga calls for collaboration to create sustainable funding for varsity development
- Why I have not taken loan to develop Osun – Adeleke
- Rivers: Navy rescues 250 passengers onboard capsized boat
- Alleged cruelty to minor: Court fixes date for adoption of final addresses
- Nigeria’s VAT collection lowest in Africa – Speaker Abbas