A federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced two Lebanese citizens to two years in prison for attempting to smuggle money out of the country.
Nigeria’s anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, had told the Court that Chamseddine Waell Mohammed and Dina Jihad Khali were arrested for attempting to smuggle the sum of$890,000 out of the Nigeria through the Port Harcourt International Airport,Omagwa.
The Commission told the court that the said amount was found inside their luggage onboard a chartered flight with registration number 9HVFF to Lebanon.
Khalid, according to the EFCC,was arrested with &670,000 while Mohammed had in his possession the sum of$20,000.
The prosecution therefore prayed the court to sentence the defendants as charge
In his presentation, counsel to the defendants, Paul Ejiga urged the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendants were first time offenders.
The Presiding Judge, Justice I.M. Sani consequently sentenced the two men to prison with an option of fine if one million each while the undeclared amount was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
