Obi Cubana’s Manager Arrested For Alleged Money Laundry

On August 24, 2022, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Lagos Zonal Command brought one Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, a manager with the Cubana Group, and Precious Omonkhoa Ofure before Justice Justice O.A. Fadipe of the Special Offenses Court in Ikeja, Lagos, for an offence that may have been considered a conspiracy to launder money.

Agents of the Commission recently detained Ndukwe, also known as Cubana Prime Minister and Ofure after receiving reliable information about their alleged involvement in the fraudulent activity.

The amount of $164, 000. 00 (One Hundred and Sixty-four Thousand Dollars), as well as laptop and iPhone devices, were confiscated from them.

The charge against them reads, “That you, Precious Omonkhoa Ofure and Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, sometime in 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves and laundered an aggregate
sum of $164,000 (One Hundred and Sixty-four Thousand Dollars), which form part of $256,314 (Two Hundred and Fifty-six Thousand, Three Hundred and Fourteen United States Dollars) fraudulently obtained by false pretence from one Elena Bogomaz, a Canadian Citizen, and converted the fraudulent money into the United States Dollars with the help of a Bureau De Change Operator, which was then credited into the bank account of Casa Cubana Estate Limited and Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe respectively for the purchase of two and landed properties and committed an offence contrary to Section 330 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”

During their arraignment in court, Ndukwe “pleaded not guilty” while Ofure “pleaded guilty” to the accusations laid against them

As a result, the prosecution attorney, M.K. Bashir, went over the case’s facts and pleaded for Ofure, the defendant, to receive an appropriate sentence.

Justice Fadipe found Ofure guilty of two charges of conspiracy and money laundering and sentenced him to three years in jail, with the possibility of an additional punishment of two million naira (N2,000,000.00) and 100 hours of community service.

Also, all items that were taken from the offender were ordered to be forfeited by the judge.

Chuks Arubalaeze, Udukwe’s attorney, informed the court of his client’s request for bail.

He was granted bail in the amount of N5m (Five Million Naira), with two sureties in the same amount, by Justice Fadipe.

In addition, the judge mandated that Udukwe remains in custody until his bail terms were fully satisfied and postponed the case’s commencement date for trial to October 28, 2022.