EFCC Charges 2 Men With Alleged Smuggling, Laundering $1.6m

EfCC Charges 2 Men With Alleged Smuggling, Laundering $1.6m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EfCC) has dragged two men, Chris Ogbonna and Sulaiman Jibbo, before a Lagos Federal High Court, for Smuggling and laundering the sum of $1. 609, 325. 08 USD.

Both Chris and Sulaiman were dragged before the court presided over by Justice Ayokunle Faji, alongside their companies, Kur & Sule Enterprises and SunCrhist O Trans Nigeria Limited in a charge marked FHC/L/104c/2020.

The defendants were alleged to have sometimes in 2017, conspired among themselves to have removed the said $1.609,325,08 million USD, which were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and attempted to smuggle same.
One of the defendant, Sulaiman was alleged to have made a cash payment of the sum of $52,287.6 USD, to one Fredrick, (said to be at large), without going through the financial institutions. While Sulaiman’s co-defendant, Chris, was also alleged to have paid the sum of N607,219,650 million to Sulaiman’s company’s without going through financial institution.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Kufre Usual are contrary to sections 18(c) and 15 (2) (c) of  the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. 

Meanwhile, the Defendants’ arraignment which was scheduled for today could not proceed as planned, consequently, Justice Faji has fixed June 2 and 3, 2021, for the defendants’ arraignment and commencement of trial.

Count one of the charges against the Defendants read: “that you Chris Ogbonna, Sulaiman Jibbo and Kur Sule Nigeria Enterprises, Suncrhist O. Trans Nigeria Limited, Fredrick (now at large) sometimes in 2017 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to remove from jurisdiction the aggregate sum of $1,609,325.8 (One Million, Six Hundred and Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty Five United State of America Dollars and Eight Cent) which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: smuggling and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 18(c), 15 (2) (c) of  the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.

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