The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 on Friday arraigned one Kavlak Onal before Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.
The Austrian was nabbed at the airport in Lagos by the Nigeria Customs Service for allegedly failing to declare $800,575 and €651,505 in his possession.
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Mr Onal, scheduled to travel on Emirates Airline to Dubai, was intercepted by operatives of the NCS during a routine check at the AML/ CFT Currency Declaration Desk on 16 December at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
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Upon completion of investigation, the defendant was arraigned on 9 January on a two-count charge of money laundering.
Count one reads: “That you , Mr. Kavlak Onal, on December 13th, 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 you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (5) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition and Prevention ) Act, 2022.”
Count two reads: “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 €651,505(Six Hundred and Fifty One Thousand, Five Hundred and Five Euro) to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport , Ikeja , Lagos and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (5) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition and Prevention ) Act, 2022.”
The defendant, Kavlak Onal, pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him
In view of his “not guilty” plea, prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Bala Buhari, asked the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution prove its case against him and for the defendant to be remanded at a Correctional Centre.
The defence counsel , Stanley Imhanruor, informed the court of a bail application on behalf of his client.
In response, the prosecution counsel stated that she was served with the bail application at 9.07 a.m. on 9 January and added that she would need some time to respond to it.
Consequently, Justice Bogoro adjourned the case till 16 January for the hearing of the bail application, a statement by Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson by the EFCC, said.
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