Two Lebanese, Hassan Rmaiti and Talal Hammoud who were arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on November 26, 2012 with $2,073,160 have been convicted by Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
While Rmaiti was arrested with $1,971, Hammoud was caught with $101,240.00. The convicts were on their way to Lebanon when they were arrested for failure to declare the money to Customs at the airport as required under section 12 of the foreign exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provision) Act cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigerian 2004 and section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011.? The offence is punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
According to Wilson Uwujaren Acting Head, Media and? Publicity, when the charges were read to the accused persons, they all pleaded guilty.
Based on their plea, prosecuting counsel, ABC Ozioko prayed the court to convict them. Defense counsel, Chris Emeh however pleaded with the court for leniency as the accused persons were first-time offenders.
Justice Okeke accordingly convicted the accused and ordered that they forfeit $25,310, being 25per cent? of the undeclared sum to the Federal Government of Nigeria.