Tobias Sylvester
Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court In Abuja, has granted the final forfeiture of $300,000 belonging to a Chinese national, Li Yan Pin.
The judge ordered that the said money be forfeited to the Nigerian Government on Monday following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yan Pin was arrested by the EFCC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as he attempted to board a flight to China en route to Dubai, after he allegedly failed to declare the money in his possession.
During his judgment on Monday, Justice Quadri said the prosecution had proved its case beyond every 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.
The defence counsel in its response pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the convict, he said had invested his resources on the development of Nigeria, and currently facing difficult health challenges. He also claimed that his client has no prior criminal conviction.
After hearing the plea, Justice Quadri ordered that the said sum be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The Judge saved the convict a jail term on the ground that he had earlier filed for a medical leave over alleged coronavirus symptoms that included persistent headache, insomnia and fatigue.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court has also ordered the final forfeiture of the sum of N426.7 million belonging to John Onimisi Ozigi, a retired Brigadier-General of the Nigerian Army.
