EFCC, on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, secured the conviction of two allegedly illegal gold dealers, Bukar Mandara Zarami, Managing Director, Bukar Mandara Zarami Limited, and Kar Nap Fenan Wuyep before Justice Muslim S. Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The convicts alongside a company, Bukar Mandara Zarami Limited, were re-arraigned today on an amended two -count charge bordering on possession of 35.58 kilogrammes of Gold Bars wrapped in six bags without appropriate permit.

Count one reads: “That you, Bukar Mandara Zarami, on or about the 9th day of November, 2018 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dealt in 35.58 kilogrammes of gold bars wrapped in six bags without appropriate permit; and you, therefore, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(c) of the Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act, 2007.”

“Count two reads: “That you, “Kar Nap Fenan Wuyep, on or about the 22nd day of May, 2018 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court , without going through any financial institution, accepted cash payment of the sum of $19,440(Nineteen Thousand , Four Hundred and Forty United States Dollars), from one Bakkkuk Steven Goyol, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by the Law; and, you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1)(a), Section 16(1) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as Amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them. In view of their plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, sought the leave of the court to review the facts of the case. Oyedepo informed the court that the first defendant, Zarami, was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on November 11, 2018 with 35.58 kilogrammes of Gold Bars wrapped in six bags.