The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, Jan. 8, arraigned an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over alleged failure to declare foreign currencies totalling $800,575 and €651,505, equivalent to about N2.28 billion.

Onal was arraigned before Justice Yellim Bogoro on a two-count charge bordering on non-declaration of funds.

The prosecution counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on December 13 during outward clearance at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, en route to Australia.

According to the prosecution, the defendant was arrested by officers of the Anti-Money Laundering Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the airport after he failed to declare the foreign currencies in his possession.

Buhari said the alleged offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.

When the charges were read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Following his plea, the prosecution urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) pending trial.

However, defendant counsel, Sterlin Imhemuro, who appeared with Temilehin Olushola, informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of the defendant and served on the prosecution.
He requested that his client be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.

Responding, the prosecutor confirmed receipt of the bail application at about 9:03 a.m and requested a short adjournment to enable her to study the application and file a response.

After hearing submissions from both parties, Justice Bogoro adjourned the matter to January 16 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the determination of the application.

The charges against the defendant read in part that on December 13, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the court, he failed to declare the sum of $800,575 to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.

The second count alleged that he failed to declare the sum of €651,505 at the same airport on the same date, an offence also contrary to and punishable under the same provision of the Act.

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A Nigerian man has been sentenced to d3ath after being convicted of m8rdering his four-year-old step-grandson in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

LIB reported that Ibekwe Emeka Augustine threw the child from the third floor of an apartment building on Sunday, November 29, 2020 after he failed to rape his stepdaughter, who is the victim’s mother. Read other reports HERE and HERE

High Court judge K. Muniandy sentenced Ibekwe, 48, to d3ath on Friday, January 9, 2025 after finding him guilty of m8rder, ruling that the prosecution had proven the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

“You are sentenced to death by hanging until you are d3ad. However, you have the right to appeal against the sentence at the Court of Appeal,” the judge said.

Moments before the sentence was passed, Augustine, handcuffed and dressed in a white T-shirt and black trousers, pleaded for leniency.

“I regret everything that happened, and it will not happen again. I remember going swimming and playing football with him. Please have mercy on me. Everything is in your hands,” he said.

Augustine appeared solemn as he was led out of the courtroom. An interpreter was present throughout the proceedings.

He was charged in 2020 with m8rdering the boy between 7.45am and 8.15am at an apartment unit in Setapak on Nov 29, 2020, which carries the d3ath penalty or a jail term between 30 and 40 years upon conviction.

In addition to the m8rder conviction, Augustine was sentenced to one year for one count of attempted suicide, five years for s3xually assaulting his then 25-year-old stepdaughter, five years for attempted m8rder of his son, then aged 7; and 14 years for causing grievous hurt to his wife, then 48, who suffered a broken hip.

Muniandy ordered that all jail sentences run concurrently, which is 14-years, from Augustine’s arrest on Nov 29, 2020.

“All these inhumane and despicable acts of the accused could have been stopped as the accused’s wife attempted to do so, but the accused persisted even after grievously injuring her.

“The victims were all traumatised by the entire incident and had to run away from the home before anything more dreadful was inflicted on them.

“Then they found the grandchild dead on the ground as he was thrown away mercilessly by the accused, who then attempted suicide.

“Such conduct cannot be excused on the grounds of self-intoxication with drugs or his attempt to end his own life,” he said.

In mitigation, defence counsel Zulkifli Awang argued that his client should be spared the death penalty, saying the murder was not premeditated and that his client was not a hardened criminal incapable of rehabilitation.

“The facts show that his actions were due to schizophrenia and that he was of unsound mind, although the court had ruled that self-intoxication is not a defence.

“But I want to stress that what occurred was due to his insanity, due to drug consumption.

“He has been in remand since his arrest, and he is repentant. Imprisonment would be a more appropriate sentence. It is not necessary to take another life,” he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Zaileen Nadia Zubir urged the court to impose the death penalty, stating that Augustine had admitted to committing the acts due to prolonged consumption of drugs and not schizophrenia.

“He dangled the child by the leg outside the window before throwing him out, an act witnessed by the boy’s mother.

“He had admitted that it happened because of drugs and not because of schizophrenia, and he heard voices.

“He knew his actions were wrong and apologised,” she said.

The trial began in January 2024 and concluded in December the same year, with testimony from 22 prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses, who were Augustine himself and consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ian Lloyd Anthony.

After the proceedings, Zulkifli said a notice of appeal against the d3ath sentence would be filed.

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Public outr4ge has erupted after a di6turbing video surfaced online, allegedly exposing a large-scale operation involving the branding and sale of f4ke television sets in Nigeria’s electronics market.

The footage, reportedly recorded at Alaba International Market, shows a young man openly printing LG logos on television cartons, remote controls, and even directly on the bodies of the TVs. Stacks of cartons—said to number over 3,000—are seen neatly arranged, each bearing branding meant to resemble that of popular global manufacturers.

According to multiple reports, the televisions are allegedly l0w-budget, low-quality units produced abroad—primarily in China—before being imp0rted into Nigeria. Once in the country, the devices are rebranded to imitate premium products from companies such as LG and Hisense, then sold to unsu6pecting customers at prices close to, or only slightly below, those of genuine models.

In the viral video, the narrator claims he stumbled upon the operation by chance while visiting the market. His voice can be heard expressing shock as he explains how the branding is applied step by step—first on the cartons, then on the television sets themselves, and finally on the remote controls. He w4rns consumers that certain cartons commonly seen in the market may already be a red flag, alleging that many are locally produced and printed to dece1ve buyers.

The revelations have sparked a&ger and fe4r among consumers, many of whom worry that they may have unknowingly purchased c0unterfeit products. Beyond fin4ncial loss, experts w4rn that substandard electronics can pose serious s4fety ri6ks, including electrical faults, fire hazards, and lack of warranty or after-sales support.

Consumer rights advocates are now calling on regulatory bodies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to urgently investigate the allegations. There are also renewed demands for stricter monitoring of imported electronics and h4rsher penalties for those found gu1lty of counterfeiting.

As the video continues to circulate widely on social media, Nigerians are being urged to exercise caution when purchasing electronics—verifying serial numbers, buying from authorized dealers, and insisting on proper documentation.

For many, the footage is not just a sc4ndal but a pa1nful reminder of how deeply c0unterfeit goods have penetrated the market—undermining trust, explo1ting consumers, and d4maging the reputation of legitimate businesses.

Video in comment…..

What’s your opinion on this?

@newsbreak365

*Fake LG TV Exposed 😳 | Man Caught Making LG Branded Carton, TV & Remote* A shocking video has surfaced showing a man allegedly creating fake LG-branded cartons, televisions, and even remotes from scratch. This is a serious eye-opener for anyone who loves buying big brand names at “cheap prices”. For the attention of buyers everywhere — awon omo yibo paaaapaaaaa! Not everything that shines is original. This video exposes how counterfeit electronics are packaged to look exactly like original products, and why buyers must be extra careful before paying their hard-earned money. 👉 Watch closely 👉 Share to warn others 👉 Drop your thoughts in the comments 👉 Subscribe for more real-life exposés and updates #FakeLGTV #CounterfeitProducts #FakeElectronics #ScamAlert #BuyerBeware

♬ original sound – Newsbreak365

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