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

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."