The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie-Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos, onTuesday, April
15, 2025, presented its first prosecution witness, PW1, Danladi Ibrahim,
an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in the trial
of Alhaji Ahmed Shaw , a Sierra Leonean, before Justice D.I. Dipeolu
of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendant was arrested on March 3, 2025 at the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos by operatives of the
NDLEA, for non-declaration of the sum of $90,000( Ninety Thousand United States
of America Dollars).
Upon his arrest, the Agency , on Friday, March 5, 2025, handed him over to the
Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos for further
investigations.
Consequently, he was arraigned on Thursday, April 3,
2025 on a one-count charge bordering on alleged money
laundering.
The count reads: “That you, ALHAJI AHMED SHAW, on the
3rd day of March, 2025 in Lagos , within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $90,000 (Ninety
Thousand United States of America Dollars) to the Nigeria Customs Service at
the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, Ibrahim,
led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Z.B. Atiku said: “On March 3,
2025 , at the new arrival hall of MMIA , I intercepted Alhaji Ahmed Shaw. I
asked him where he was coming from and he said Sierra Leone. I then requested
his passport. Thereafter, I conducted a search, and found the money concealed
in his hand luggage.”
He further told the court that the defendant, upon
enquiry, said the money was for a business trip.
According to Ibrahim, the defendant, his lawyer, the
arresting officer and the exhibit officer were present when the money was
counted.
When asked by the prosecution counsel to identify
certain documents, he did, saying they were the statement made by the defendant
in the NDLEA custody, a transfer note from the NDLEA to the EFCC , and the sum
of $90,000.
Atiku then sought to tender, as evidence, the
defendant’s statement to the NDLEA, the transfer note from the NDLEA to the
EFCC, and the sum of $90,000."
The defence counsel, however, objected to the
admissibility of the transfer note from the NDLEA to the EFCC on the grounds
that the witness was not the author but “only the arresting officer.”
In view of this, the prosecution counsel withdrew the
handing over letter.
Justice Dipeolu Admitted the statement made by the
defendant and the sum of $90,000 as exhibits.
While cross-examining the witness, the defence counsel
asked him about his encounter with the defendant.
When asked if he saw the defendant finish his
clearance from the Immigration Service, and why he stopped him out of
other passengers, the witness replied that “He was profiled and asked routine
questions, including where he was coming from and what he does for a
living.
“He said he was a businessman but I was not satisfied
with his response; so, I ordered my officers to search him.”
Also , when asked the witness if the defendant showed
proof that he was a businessman, the witness said “ No”.
Asked if there were officers from other agencies such
as the Nigeria Customs Service around him on that day, the witness said he
could not respond to the question because he was at his own duty post.
“ It is my duty to do the investigation. Mine was to
question whether the money was declared and the defendant did not respond to
that question appropriately”, he added.
Justice Dipeolu adjourned the case till May 7, 2025
for continuation of trial.
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