False Declaration: Court Orders Lamido’s Son to Forfeit $10,000

1. 

Governor Sule Lamido

A Federal High Court in Kano yesterday convicted Aminu Lamido, the son of Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa for false declaration of foreign currency on him while travelling abroad.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had dragged Aminu to court after arresting him at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in December last year for under-declaring the total amount of foreign exchange on him while on a medical trip to Cairo, Egypt, with his ailing daughter.
The judge, Fatu Riman, said Aminu was guilty by declaring $10,000 instead of $50,000 during a trip abroad.
He was therefore ordered to forfeit 25 per cent of the $40,000 he did not declare, which amounted to $10,000.
According to the judge, Aminu is guilty of false declaration of the total amount of money he was carrying.
However, Justice Riman rejected the claim by the EFCC that the money was meant to be laundered.

Riman said the evidence before the court clearly showed that the money was not taken with criminal intent but for medical treatment of his daughter.

The judge also rejected the submission of Aminu’s counsel, Offiong Offiong (SAN), that the case was meant to tarnish the name of Aminu’s father who has a presidential ambition,

According to Riman, the court is a reputable one, which cannot allow itself to be dragged into unnecessary politicking.
Justice Riman affirmed that the prosecutor had proved his case beyond all reasonable doubts, hence the need for him to hand down the judgment.

The judge declared that the offence was not criminal noting that if he had his way, he could have discharged and acquitted him.
The EFCC charge against the accused reads: Then “that you Aminu Sule Lamido on or about 11th day of December, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu International Airport, Kano, within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, while transporting in cash, the sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) from Nigeria to Cairo, Egypt, falsely declared to the Nigerian Customs the sum of $10,000 (Ten Thousand Dollars Only) instead of the said sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) as required under Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”