The Director of Public Prosecutions v Abukar Suufi and Chikere Obi Odemena

Amount Forfeited

€33,500

Date

23 January 2012

The Director of Public Prosecutions v Abukar Suufi and Chikere Obi Odemena

Venue

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Judge

Yvonne Murphy

Summary

On the 23 January 2012, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered the forfeiture to the Exchequer of cash amounting to €33,500 pursuant to Section 39, Criminal Justice Act 1994, as amended by Section 21, Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005, on the grounds that it was proven on the balance of probabilities to represent the proceeds of crime, or was intended for use in criminal conduct. On 4 March 2010 Revenue Enforcement Officers at Dublin Airport seized and detained the cash from Abukar Suufi, an Irish citizen of Somalian origin, as he was about to board a flight to Luton, United Kingdom.

Following an investigation by Revenue’s Investigations and Prosecutions Division a file on the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ordered the forfeiture proceedings.

In the course of the investigation Chikere Obi Odemena claimed ownership of the cash, indicating that it was the proceeds of business dealings, and was to be used to pay outstanding debts in the United Kingdom. However it was proven to the Court that this claim did not stand up to scrutiny.

The application at the Circuit Criminal Court was opposed by Chikere Obi Odemena.