The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned one Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, a Manager with Cubana Group.
Ndukwe was arraigned alongside one Precious Omonkhoa Ofure by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC for an offence bordering on conspiracy for money laundering.
They were both arraigned before Justice Justice O. A. Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.
Ndukwe, also known as Cubana Prime Minister, and Ofure were arrested recently by operatives of the Commission, following credible intelligence received about their involvement in the fraudulent activity.
Some Items were said to be recovered from them, which include the sum of $164, 000. 00 (One Hundred and Sixty-four Thousand Dollars), iPhone mobile devices and laptop computers.
He is said to have pleaded not guilty to the charges read to him.
The charge sheet reads: “That you, Precious Omonkhoa Ofure and Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, sometime in 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves and laundered an aggregate sum of $164,000 which form part of $256,314 fraudulently obtained by false pretence from one Elena Bogomaz, a Canadian Citizen, and converted the fraudulent money into the United States Dollars with the help of a Bureau De Change Operator, which was then credited into the bank account of Casa Cubana Estate Limited and Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe respectively for the purchase of two and landed properties and committed an offence contrary to Section 330 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
Having reviewed the facts of the case, the prosecution counsel, M.K.Bashir, prayed that the defendant, Ofure, be sentenced accordingly.
Justice Fadipe found Ofure guilty and sentenced him to three years imprisonment on two counts of conspiracy and money laundering.
He was given an option of fine in the sum of N2,000,000.00 and 100 hours of community service while ordering the forfeiture of items recovered from him.
Meanwhile, Udukwe was ordered to be remanded in the correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions and adjourned the case to October 28, 2022 for trial.