The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday opposed an attempt by the defence to delay the trial of an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, who is facing prosecution over alleged failure to declare $800,575 and €651,505 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Onal is standing trial before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos on a two-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.
The defendant was arrested on December 16, 2025, by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service while preparing to board an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai.
According to the prosecution, Onal allegedly failed to declare the foreign currencies at the airport’s Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Currency Declaration Desk before he was intercepted.
He was later handed over to the EFCC for investigation and subsequently arraigned on January 9.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, defence counsel, Omon Omofona, informed the court that the lead defence lawyer was handling another matter in a different court and requested an adjournment.
However, EFCC counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, opposed the application, reminding the court that accelerated hearing had already been granted in the matter.
Buhari argued that the prosecution witness had left his official duty post to attend court and urged that the defence counsel present should proceed with the case.
“This is a criminal trial, and the image of the country is also at stake,” she said.
Responding, Omofona urged the court to grant the adjournment in the interest of fair hearing.
In her ruling, Justice Bogoro held that the defence counsel present in court should take note of the proceedings and brief the lead counsel accordingly. She then directed that the trial should continue.
The prosecution thereafter called its second witness, Sani Ibrahim, an officer of the Nigerian Immigration Service attached to the Lagos airport.
Led in evidence by Buhari, Ibrahim told the court that he encountered the defendant in December 2025 after a colleague informed him that a Dubai-bound passenger on Emirates Airline required assistance because he was ill.
According to him, he met Onal at the Emirates Airline counter, collected his passport and boarding pass, and escorted him into the departure hall.
He said the defendant later requested to be taken to the airport lounge because he was unwell.
Ibrahim told the court that after clearing the defendant, he escorted him to the Aviation Security point, where his luggage was to be screened.
He said AVSEC officials became suspicious after scanning the luggage and discovered suspicious items inside the bag.
“When I asked him what was inside the bag, he said they were medicines and other personal belongings. He, however, did not mention that he had money inside the bag,” the witness said.
The witness further stated that he later escorted the defendant to Customs officials for currency declaration procedures.
He said a Customs officer, Yusuf Suleiman, asked Onal whether he had any currency to declare, but the defendant allegedly answered in the negative.