A Federal High Court in Kano state, North West Nigeria, has charged and convicted the son of Jigawa state, Aminu Sule Lamido for conveying the sum of $50,000 to Cairo which he failed to declare.
Delivering the judgement on Friday, Justice Fatu Riman said the accused is expected to forfeit 25 percent of the total sum of the money he refused to declare to the authorities.
Aminu Sule Lamido was arrested alongside his wife and two children on the 14th of February 2013 by customs officials at Mallam Aminu International airport while attempting to travel to Cairo.
Lamido was arrested with a total exceeding amount to carry while leaving the country.
Although, Aminu Lamido has been convicted, the judge also explains that it does not make him a criminal.
Aminu has also not been sentenced to any jail term nor asked to pay for any fine apart from the 25 percent forfeited amount.
However, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Barrister Hanafi Sa’ad said the judgement is one of the best so far and could be used as reference by others.
Having identified the circumstances surrounding Aminu’s trip with the said money, which include his daughters’ sickness and the need for her urgent medical attention in Cairo, both counsels are of the view that the law for false declaration of currency should be amended.