Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, over the alleged failure to declare large sums of foreign currency at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
Gatekeepers News reports that Onal was arraigned before Yellim Bogoro of the federal high court in Lagos on a two-count charge linked to the non-declaration of $800,575 and €651,505 during his departure from Nigeria on December 13.
EFCC accused him of violating provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022, which requires travellers to declare cash above the approved threshold to the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to the prosecution, the defendant was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service attached to the anti-money laundering unit during outward clearance for a flight to Australia. EFCC said the undeclared funds were valued at over N2 billion when converted to local currency.
Onal pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court. Following the plea, EFCC counsel Bilikisu Buhari asked the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending trial.
Counsel to the defendant, Sterlin Imhemuro, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed and requested that Onal be kept in EFCC custody instead. The prosecution responded that the application had just been served and requested time to review it.
After hearing both sides, the court adjourned the matter to January 16 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility pending further proceedings.
