A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced Okorie Sunday to six months in prison for money laundering, following his attempt to bring $299,000 and €100 into Nigeria without declaring the funds.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared sums, which were intercepted by the Nigerian Customs Service at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on March 19, 2025, to the Federal Government.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu delivered the judgement after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by counsel Chineye Okezie, presented key testimony from the Nigerian Customs Service.
Nanaowe Tonbo, a customs officer, detailed how Okorie approached the declaration desk at the airport, where he was initially asked to declare the contents of his luggage. He declared $225,000 but Customs officers, suspicious of his statement, conducted a thorough search of his four bags.
Tonbo explained, “We discovered various amounts of money in dollars. In total, $299,000 out of the $578,000 in his possession had not been declared.”
The discovery prompted further investigation, and Okorie was handed over to the EFCC for further questioning.
Filicia Paul, an EFCC operative, testified that on March 21, 2025, the Nigerian Customs Service transferred Okorie and the cash exhibits to the EFCC for further investigation.
According to Okorie’s statement, written by his son, Emeka Okorie, he failed to declare the remaining $250,000 because he claimed he didn’t know the actual amount.
Okorie said the money had been given to him by friends in South Africa to exchange with a Bureau De Change operator in Ikeja, Lagos.
The Bureau De Change operator, Sulaimon Abdulrasheed, was invited for questioning and made a statement, which was admitted as evidence without objection. Okorie’s statement was also tendered in court and accepted as evidence.
The trial took a dramatic turn during the proceedings when Okorie collapsed in the dock just before the Registrar could read the amended charge to him.
The courtroom was temporarily suspended as the defendant was revived and stabilized. The case resumed at 1:45 pm when Okorie had fully recovered.
The case had initially started with Okorie pleading not guilty during his arraignment, but his counsel, Okoronkwo Uche, indicated that the defendant was now prepared to change his plea if the charges were amended.
Uche also requested that counts three and four of the charges be struck out.
Justice Dipeolu ultimately convicted Okorie and sentenced him to six months imprisonment, while also ordering the forfeiture of the undeclared $299,000 to the Federal Government.
