The trial of businessman Okorie Sunday took a dramatic turn at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday morning when the defendant collapsed in the dock.
Sunday, who was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on March 19, 2025, with $578,000 in undeclared cash, fell ill as the court registrar prepared to reread the charges against him.
This development came just one day after his initial arraignment on Tuesday, March 25, where he faced four counts of money laundering and currency fraud before Justice Deinde Dipeolu.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Sunday had entered a not guilty plea, after which the court ordered him remanded in custody and scheduled an accelerated trial.
When proceedings resumed Wednesday morning, Sunday’s lawyer, Uche Okoronkwo, surprised the court by announcing his client’s intention to change his plea to guilty.
EFCC prosecutor Chineye Okezie confirmed this plea change to the court.
The hearing was temporarily disrupted when Sunday collapsed moments before the charges were to be presented again.
Okezie said, “In view of the defendant’s wish to change his plea from not guilty to guilty on counts one and two, the commission would like to withdraw counts three and four.”
Justice Dipeolu agreed and ordered counts three and four to be withdrawn. He then asked the court registrar to read counts one and two to the defendant.
As the registrar was about to read the counts, he asked the defendant if he understood English. Okorie did not respond but suddenly slumped and collapsed in the dock.
His wife and daughter, who were in the courtroom, started crying.
As of the time of this report, the defendant has been rushed to the hospital while the matter has been stood down.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Customs Service had intercepted the suspect who arrived in Lagos from Johannesburg aboard South African Airways Flight SA60 on March 19, 2025. At the airport’s currency declaration desk, he declared only $279,000.
However, a routine search uncovered an additional $299,000 hidden in several packages, bringing the total amount to $578,000.
The customs authorities also said they recovered €100 and a counterfeit $250 note among the undeclared cash.
According to the EFFC, the offences violated Sections 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Sections 3(1)(a), 5(1)(b), and (2) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.