Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos, on Friday, sentenced one Agudosi Okechukwu to six months in prison for failing to declare foreign currencies at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Okechukwu was arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service in December 2024 for failing to declare foreign currencies in the sum of £8,020 and $704 while attempting to travel.
He had earlier declared £7,000 but concealed the remaining amounts.
He was later handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for further investigation.
He was arraigned on April 15, 2025, on a two-count charge of money laundering preferred against him by EFCC.
According to the commission, the offence committed is punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He pleaded guilty to the charges.
In Friday’s ruling, Justice Bogoro sentenced Okechukwu to six months in prison on each count, with an option of a N200,000 fine per count.
The undeclared £8,020 and $704 were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
It would be recalled that, during the trial, EFCC operative Abubakar Magaji told the court that the total amount Okechukwu carried was £15,020 and $704.
He explained that the convict claimed he withheld part of the money to fund the repatriation of his deceased brother’s body.
