Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the final forfeiture of $300,000 (about N117 m) belonging to a Chinese, Li Yan Pin, to the Federal Government.
The judge had earlier ordered the interim forfeiture of the money following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Yan Pin was arrested by the anti-graft agency at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he attempted to board a flight to China en route to Dubai. He allegedly failed to declare the money in his possession.
The Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, in a statement said Justice Quadri in his judgment noted that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty of the charges, according to Section 2, Sub-section (5) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended in 2012).
It read, “The defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, as the convict, he said, had invested his resources in the development of Nigeria, and currently facing difficult health challenges.
“He also noted that his client had no prior criminal conviction.”
While ordering that the money be forfeited to the FG, Quadri saved the convict a jail term on the grounds that he had earlier filed for a medical leave over alleged COVID-19 symptoms that included persistent headache, insomnia and fatigue.
Meanwhile, Justice J. Iyang of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has convicted and sentenced one Muhammad Ogbobio, self-styled coordinator of Bayelsa State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, to 28 years in prison.
The convict, who paraded himself as the coordinator of the board from 2009-2012, was arraigned by the EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal office, on March 19, 2015, on five counts bordering on forgery and obtaining money under false pretences to the tune of N12.1m in bogus hajj fees.