A businessman Sunday Okorie who was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday for allegedly failing to declare the sum of $299,000, and being in possession of counterfeit $250 and €100 Euros on Wednesday collapsed in the dock.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu had remanded Okorie after he took his plea on Tuesday and adjourned the trial till Wednesday.
But when the case was called on Wednesday Okorie’s counsel Uche Okoronkwo, informed the court that the defendant has elected to change his plea to guilty.
Okoronkwo then urged the court to allow the charge to be read to the defendant.
The Economic and Financial Crimes’s Commission’s prosecution
Counsel, Chineye Okezie, confirmed the intention of the defendant’s change of plea.
She said,” In view of the defendant’s which to change his plea, of not guilty to guilty to counts one and two, the commission would like to withdraw counts three and four.”
However, Justice Dipeolu granted the request to withdraw counts three and four and asked that counts one and two be read to the defendant.
While the court registrar was about to read the charge, he asked Okorie if he understood English language but the defendant didn’t respond and in the next seconds he collapsed in the dock.
Okorie ‘s wife and daughter who were in the court started crying.
Mrs Okorie, knelt down and started crying and calling Jesus.
The Economic and Financial Crimes’s Commission had arraigned the defendant before on
four counts bordering on money laundry, and unlawful importation of counterfeit foreign currencies, preferred against him.
EFCC’s prosecution counsel Chineye Okezie, told the court that the defendant concealed the $299,000,the $250 and €100 Euros, counterfeit foreign currencies in Relaxer containers to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
Okezie told the court that Okorie committed the alleged offences on March 19, 2025.
She said the incident took place the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
The prosecutor also told the court that Okorie without lawful authority imported into Nigeria five pieces of counterfeit $50, totaling $250, with serial numbers, MB67951730 D, MB93612802 A, MB67957416 D, MB67957308 D, and MB121997428 C, knowing same to be counterfeit.
She said that the defendant unlawfully had in his possession five pieces of counterfeit $50 totaling $250, with serial numbers, MB67951730 D, MB93612802 A, MB67957416 D, MB67957308 D, and MB121997428 C, knowing same to be counterfeit.
According to the prosecutor the offences committed contravened Sections 3 (5), of the money laundry (prevention and prohibition) Act, 2022 and 3(1)(a), 5 (1)(b)and (2), of the counterfeit currency (Special Provisions) Act, law of the Federal of Nigeria 2004.
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