Court Convicts Businessman, Orders Forfeiture Of $200,000.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja has
convicted one Moghalu Maduakonam on a one-count charge of money
laundering.

The convict, who is a businessman, appeared before the court on
Tuesday following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Maduakonam was arrested sometime in February 2013 by EFCC
operatives for transporting in cash a sum of $200,000 while
attempting to board a plane from Nigeria to Dubai, United Arab
Emirates.

But according to a statement by the EFCC Head of Media and
Publicity Wilson Uwujaren, the money is above the threshold of
$10,000 allowed by law for an individual.

The anti-graft agency said the defendant failed to disclose the
said sum to the Nigerian Customs Service as required by Section 12
of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions)
Act CapF34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3)
of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act No. 11, 2011.

The offence is said to be punishable under Section 2(5) of Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act No. 11, 2011 as amended by the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

Delivering the judgment prepared by Justice Adeniyi Ademola in
December 2017 shortly before his retirement, Justice Ojukwu held
that the prosecution had proved its case against the defendant
beyond reasonable doubts.

“I have no difficulty in convicting the defendant on the count
preferred against him”, the judge said.

Maduakonam’s counsel, Babara Amosu, however, prayed the court to
consider the convict as a first time offender and temper justice
with mercy, having admitted to his mistake earlier in the
trial.

On the other hand, EFCC counsel M. E. Eimonye urged the court to
apply the full weight of the law.

He added that the offence was “intentional” and that the
defendant was fully aware of its consequences under the law since
that was not his first time of travelling to Dubai.

Justice Ojukwu consequently ordered the forfeiture of the
$200,000 which the convict concealed to the Federal Government

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja has
convicted one Moghalu Maduakonam on a one-count charge of money
laundering.

The convict, who is a businessman, appeared before the court on
Tuesday following his arraignment by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Maduakonam was arrested sometime in February 2013 by EFCC
operatives for transporting in cash a sum of $200,000 while
attempting to board a plane from Nigeria to Dubai, United Arab
Emirates.

But according to a statement by the EFCC Head of Media and
Publicity Wilson Uwujaren, the money is above the threshold of
$10,000 allowed by law for an individual.

The anti-graft agency said the defendant failed to disclose the
said sum to the Nigerian Customs Service as required by Section 12
of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions)
Act CapF34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3)
of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act No. 11, 2011.

The offence is said to be punishable under Section 2(5) of Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act No. 11, 2011 as amended by the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

Delivering the judgment prepared by Justice Adeniyi Ademola in
December 2017 shortly before his retirement, Justice Ojukwu held
that the prosecution had proved its case against the defendant
beyond reasonable doubts.

“I have no difficulty in convicting the defendant on the count
preferred against him”, the judge said.

Maduakonam’s counsel, Babara Amosu, however, prayed the court to
consider the convict as a first time offender and temper justice
with mercy, having admitted to his mistake earlier in the
trial.

On the other hand, EFCC counsel M. E. Eimonye urged the court to
apply the full weight of the law.

He added that the offence was “intentional” and that the
defendant was fully aware of its consequences under the law since
that was not his first time of travelling to Dubai.

Justice Ojukwu consequently ordered the forfeiture of the
$200,000 which the convict concealed to the Federal Government