EFCC arraigns Austrian national Kavlak Onal in Lagos over alleged failure to declare $800,575 and €651,505 at MMIA, Ikeja
EFCC Arraigns Austrian Over Alleged ₦2.28bn Currency Non-Declaration
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over his alleged failure to declare foreign currencies valued at about ₦2.28 billion.
Onal was docked before Justice Yellim Bogoro on a two-count charge bordering on non-declaration of $800,575 and €651,505 during an outward clearance at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja.
Prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on December 13, while preparing to board a flight to Australia.
According to the prosecutor, the foreign currencies were discovered by officers of the Anti-Money Laundering Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) during routine screening at the airport.
Buhari said the alleged acts contravened Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022, and are punishable under the same law.
When the charges were read to him, Onal pleaded not guilty to both counts.
Following his plea, the prosecution urged the court to remand the defendant at the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) facility pending trial.
However, defence counsel, Barrister Sterlin Imhemuro, who led Temilehin Olushola, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution. He appealed to the court to remand his client in EFCC custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
Responding, the prosecution acknowledged service of the bail motion at about 9:03am on the same day and requested a short adjournment to enable her file a response.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Bogoro adjourned the case to January 16 for the hearing of the bail application.
The judge, however, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Services facility pending the determination of his bail request.
The Charges Read in Court
“That you, Mr. Kavlak Onal, on the 13th December, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $800,575 (Eight Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy-Five United States Dollars) to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022. “That you, Mr. Kavlak Onal, on the same date and place, failed to declare the sum of €651,505 (Six Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand, Five Hundred and Five Euros) to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.”
