Nigerian Senator’s Wife In Money Laundering Mess As UK Court Orders Forfeiture Of House
On June 6th, Justice Jay ruled that the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) can seize a £1 million UK property linked to suspicious financial activities under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The property was to be purchased by Mrs. Katung, wife of Nigerian Senator Sunday Katung, who paid a £400,000 deposit in 2015. The court found that £360,000 of the deposit, transferred from Nigeria, raised red flags, with Mrs. Katung admitting to using Nigeria's black market to bypass foreign exchange restrictions. The court rejected her documentation and explanation as inconsistent, finding her attempts to validate the transaction through a company, My Honey Oil Interbiz Ltd, was an attempt to circumvent Nigeria’s forex rules as the company wasn’t listed as a licensed BDC. The £400,000 deposit will not be refunded, and the NCA can possess the property. The judge clarified that Mrs. Katung was not aware of the property's connection to criminal activity. The NCA was also awarded full legal costs.
