Undeclared $40,000: S’Court affirms conviction of Sule Lamido’s son

The Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction of Aminu Sule Lamido, son of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, for failing to declare $40,000 in foreign currency and making a false declaration at an airport.

In its judgment, the apex court dismissed Aminu Lamido’s appeal and upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, which had earlier affirmed the ruling of the Federal High Court in Kano.

Aminu Lamido was arrested on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport while attempting to travel to Egypt with the undeclared cash. He was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court, Kano, on charges bordering on non-declaration of foreign currency and false declaration.

The trial court found him guilty and ordered the forfeiture of 25 percent of the undeclared $40,000 to the Federal Government—a decision that has now been conclusively upheld by the Supreme Court.