Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, convicted and jailed Okunfulure Olusola Steve for three months over non-declaration of $30,000 cash at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The court held that the development contravenes money laundering laws, according to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convict was said to have been arrested on March 28, 2025 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for alleged false currency declaration to the tune of $30,0000.
The development is coming days after a Lagos court convicted an airline passenger for false declaration of $578,000 in his possession.
EFCC Allegations
According to the statement, Steve, a departing passenger on Delta Airline to Atlanta, United States had declared that he was not in possession of any sum of money in foreign currency but in Naira, while being profiled at the Currency Declaration Desk.
“However, the sum of $30,000 undeclared was found on him during a search conducted by operatives of the NCS.
“He was subsequently handed over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC for further investigations, a development that led to his arraignment and conviction,” the statement partly reads.
- According to the EFCC, the NCS had, on Friday, March 28, 2025, handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos for further investigations.
- The suspect was subsequently arraigned on Wednesday on a one-count charge bordering on money laundering.
The count reads: “That you, Okunfulure Olusola Steve, on the 28th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $20,000 (Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) 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.”
What transpired in court
Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge after it was read to him by the court registrar.
- The Prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie called on Felicia Paul, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.
- Paul, confirmed that the NCS handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC on Friday, March 28, 2025.
“The defendant was arrested with the sum of $30,000, which he failed to declare,” Paul stressed, highlighting that “ his(defendant’s) statement was recorded under caution and was served with the bail conditions.”
- Paul presented the handing-over note from the NCS and the sum of $30,000, as evidence.
Justice Dipeolu admitted the exhibits into evidence.
“ I have read the exhibits, the statement of the defendant, and I found him guilty. He is accordingly convicted as charged,” the judge stated.
- Okezie then prayed that the undeclared sum of $20,000 be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and that the defendant be jailed.
- Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to three months’ imprisonment, effective from the date of his arrest on March 28, 2025.
- The judge also ordered that the money be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
