Just In..2 Chinese Bag 6years For Money Laundering.

The Sokoto Division of the Court of Appeal has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuai to 6 years imprisonment.


The duo were sentenced to prison on Friday on two of a three count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and attempted bribery to the tune of fifty Million naira brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.


In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Abubakar Mahmud Talba on the appeal of the EFCC against the judgment of a Federal High Court, Sokoto which discharged and acquitted the respondents, the appellate court found the respondents guilty of counts 1 and 2 and sentenced both to 3years imprisonment each of the counts, with an option of ten Million naira fine on each count.

He added that the respondents are Chinese and an offence of this gravity in their home country attracts death penalty . He stressed the Courts of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will not condone corruption in any way.




Justice Talba held that the EFCC had proved counts 1 and 2 of the charge before the Federal High Court beyond reasonable doubt but agreed with the lower Court on count 3 and accordingly struck it out on grounds that a similar charge was pending before the Sokoto High Court.



According to Justice Talba, the respondents are charged with conspiracy and making a cash payment in excess of the threshold provided by the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended in 2012) to Abdullahi Lawal, the then zonal head of EFCC Sokoto which was established beyond reasonable doubt before the lower Court but surprisingly the trial Judge summersaulted in his judgement and recanted.



Justice Talba therefore held that the appeal was immensely meritorious and convicted and sentenced the Chinese nationals to 3years on each of the two counts with an option of N10 Million fine each on each count.