The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced Okunfulure Olusola Steve to three months in prison for failing to declare $30,000 while attempting to leave the country.
Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu delivered the ruling on April 2, 2025, after Okunfulure pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of money laundering filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, the convict was apprehended by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) operatives on March 28, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, during a routine check. He was scheduled to board a Delta Airlines flight to Atlanta, USA, and initially denied carrying any foreign currency. However, a search revealed he had $30,000 in his possession.
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Following his arrest, Customs officials handed him over to the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 for further investigation, leading to his prosecution.
The charge against him stated that on March 28, 2025, in Lagos, Okunfulure failed to declare $20,000 to the Nigerian Customs Service at the airport, thereby violating Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
During the court proceedings, EFCC operative Felicia Paul testified, confirming that Okunfulure was caught with the undeclared funds. The prosecution presented his statement, along with a handover note from the Customs Service and other relevant documents, as evidence.
Defense counsel Joel Ogundere pleaded for leniency, arguing that his client was a first-time offender unaware of the declaration requirements. He also insisted that the funds were legitimate, supported by bank records, and urged the court to impose a fine instead of imprisonment.
Despite the plea, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Okunfulure to three months in prison, effective from the date of his arrest. Additionally, the court ordered that the undeclared $20,000 be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
