Justice Fatu
Riman of the Federal High Court, Kano
will on Friday July 12, 2013 deliver judgment in the case of money laundering
involving Aminu Sule Lamido, son of Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.
Aminu who was
arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport,
Kano on December 11, 2012 on his way to Egypt, is being
prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for allegedly
under declaring the money found on him.
The
charge against the accused reads: “that you Aminu Sule Lamido on or about 11th
day of December, 2012 at the Mallam Aminu International Airport, Kano within
the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while transporting in cash, the sum
of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) from Nigeria to Cairo, Egypt, falsely
declare to the Nigerian Customs the sum of $10,000 (Ten Thousand Dollars Only)
instead of the said sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) as required
under Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act Cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3)
of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an
offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act
2011”.
In the course of
trial which got underway April 19, 2013, the prosecution called four witnesses
and tendered documents which were admitted as exhibits. One of its witnesses, Sanusi
Ahmed who is an operative of the EFCC, told the court that the accused person
only registered $10,000 in the Nigerian Customs Declaration Form only for a
search to reveal that he had $50,000 on him. He identified the Customs
Declaration Form when it was shown to him. The document was accepted by court
as exhibit 1.
The two witnesses
called by the defence are the Chief Press Secretary to the Jigawa State
Governor, Umar Kyare and the wife of the accused, Samira Aminu Sule.
At the resumed
hearing on Monday July 8, 2013, the defence counsel, E. O Effiong, SAN and the
prosecuting counsel, Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad presented their final address. The
court adopted their written address and reserved ruling for Friday July 12,
2013.
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