EFCC Presents First Witness Against Sierra Leonean  for Non-declaration of $90,000

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.