By Nkechi Eze
Justice Olukayode Ariwoola of the Federal High Court in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced three bureau de change operators – Mustapha Idris, Hassan Bala, and Ajayi Ernest Isaac – for operating without a license. The three convicts, all from Chikanda in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, were found guilty of violating regulations.
This case highlights the importance of complying with licensing requirements in the financial sector.
They were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges.
The charge against Idris reads: “That you, Mustapha Idris sometime in July 2024, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did carry on business of other financial institution to wit: bureau de change without a valid licence issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 (1) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 57 (5) (b) of the same Act.”
That of Bala reads: “That you, Hassan Bala sometime in July 2024, within the judicial division of the Federal High Court was found to be carrying business of other financial business to wit: bureau de change without a valid license issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 (1) and (2) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under Section 57 (5) (B) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them. Prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja while reviewing the facts of the cases called witnesses, tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendants and the different currencies recovered from them at the point of arrest and urged the court to convict and sentence them as charged.
The judge convicted and sentenced Idris to 250 hours of community service without option of fine and ordered that the sum of Cfa33,000 and N323,000 (Three Hundred and Twenty-three Thousand, Naira only) recovered from him at the point of arrest be forfeited to the federal government.
He sentenced Bala to six months imprisonment or to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira only) fine. And also ordered that the sum of Cfa677,500 and N881,900 (Eight Hundred and Eighty-one Thousand, Nine Hundred Naira only) recovered from him be forfeited to the federal government.
Isaac bagged six months imprisonment or to pay N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of $31 (Thirty-one United States Dollars), recovered from him to the federal government.
