By Miriam Humbe
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos, has presented two witnesses, Sandra John Ogar and Felicia Paul, in the trial of Phil-Olumba Ifunanya Sheila before Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head, Media & Publicity disclosed this in a statement signed on Thursday.
Sheila was intercepted by officers of the NCS during a routine check on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution for not declaring the sums of $14,567 (Fourteen Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-seven United States Dollars), £1,030 (One Thousand and Thirty British Pounds Sterling) and CA$40 ( Forty Canadian Dollars) in her possession.
She was subsequently arraigned in court on July 24, 2025 on a three-count charge, bordering on failure to declare the sums of $14,567, £1,030 and CA$40. She pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thus, setting the stage for her trial.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Chineye Okezie at the resumed sitting on Wednesday, August 14, 2025, the First Prosecution Witness, PW1, Ogar, an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS told the court that the defendant was intercepted “during inward clearance from the United Kingdom,” adding that the defendant “only declared $4,000, despite being in possession of $14,567. We arrested her and handed her over to the EFCC for further investigation.”
In her own testimony, the Second Prosecution Witness, Paul, an EFCC investigating officer, confirmed receiving the defendant from the NCS, adding that she “was interrogated and offered to make a written statement.”
The prosecution counsel, thereafter, sought to tender the extra-judicial statement of the defendant in evidence, which was objected to by defence counsel, Edwin Anikwem on the allegation that “the statement was not obtained voluntarily and in the presence of a lawyer, contrary to legal requirements.”
After listening to both parties, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter till August 19, 2025 for further hearing and ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre.
