From Desmond Mgboh,Kano
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has secured the conviction of one Hauwa Abdullahi Ibrahim for smuggling a total of $1,154,900 and 135,900 Saudi Riyals from Saudi Arabia into Nigeria.
Hauwa was jailed after pleading “guilty” to a two-count charge of money laundering before Justice S.M Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano.
Hauwa was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano after she failed to declare the funds as required by law.
Following her arrest, the Nigeria Customs Service handed her over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
The EFCC thereafter charged her to court on a two-count charge of money laundering under Section 3(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Upon her arraignment, she pleaded guilty to both count charges when they were read to her.
In view of her plea, counsel to the prosecution, Musa Isah reviewed the facts of the case and tendered exhibits including the undeclared amount and subsequently prayed the court to convict her accordingly.
Justice Shuaibu however allowed an allocutus which gave her the opportunity to narrate her story before the court.
She disclosed that she was approached by one Nafiu in Saudi Arabia to assist her to carry along one box from Saudi to Nigeria adding that when she enquired about the content of the box, he allegedly told her that it contained dates and small amount of cash.
She further stated that the said Nafiu gave her a phone of a woman who will collect the box from her upon arrival in Kano.
On landing at the Kano airport, Hauwa stated that she called the number given to her by Nafiu and the woman came, and collected the box from her.
However, after leaving the airport, she was recalled by the airport authorities to return with her international passport to clear the box as she was the one that brought it to Nigeria.
Upon her arrival, she was arrested and was shown the contents of the box she had flown in with.
She pleaded with the court to spare her as she had no knowledge of the contents of the box adding that she was deceived by the sender who told her that the box only contained dates and small amount of money.
In view of her plea for mercy, Justice Shuaibu convicted the defendant as charged and ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared money to the Federal Government.