A “colonel and a major” in a “worldwide highly sophisticated money-laundering syndicate on a breathtaking scale” have been jailed for nine years and 7 and half years respectively.

Ejike Francis Ogbuefi (42) of Clonard Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, and Steven Silvester (32) of the Paddocks, Morristown, Newbridge, Co Kildare, were both convicted of directing the activities of a criminal organisation following a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February.

Ogbuefi was also convicted of 32 counts of money laundering and seven of conspiracy to launder money.

The jury also convicted Silvester of five counts of money laundering, two of attempted money laundering, four of conspiracy to launder money and one of using a false instrument.

Both defendants had no previous convictions here or in another jurisdiction.

The court heard that both men were assessed to be above mule herders and money mules in the operation, with Ogbuefi having a more active role.

During the sentence hearing, Judge Martin Nolan suggested to the investigating garda that the men were a “colonel and a major”, which Det Garda Steven Kelly agreed with.

Imposing sentence on Friday, the judge said both men were involved in the offending and played certain roles.

He noted that the scheme’s ambition was to “get accounts to launder illicit monies” which were “undoubtedly the product of criminal behaviour” and that third parties unknown to the court suffered as a result.

“Both men were reasonably experienced in how the banking system works” and aware of its weaknesses which they tested, sometimes successfully, the judge said.

The judge said he had considered the mitigation and there was a “good chance” the men would not reoffend in future, but that the court could not be certain.

The judge noted that money laundering is a “serious problem” and the court often dealt with cases of people who provided their bank details to be used in these schemes.

“These bank accounts are absolutely necessary for all fraud, because monies have to come to earth somewhere,“ the judge said, noting that the defendants’ main role was to procure bank accounts so that money could be sent to others who profited.

He imposed on Ogbuefi a sentence of nine years and imposed a 7½ year sentence on Silvester, whom he considered to be at a lower level.

Kelly told Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing, prosecuting, that the Garda investigation looked at various bank accounts, transactions and online communications.

Evidence suggested both men were receiving requests, often from phone numbers in Nigeria, to launder money from different types of frauds.

Kelly agreed with Conor Devally, defending Ogbuefi, that his client is from Nigeria and his family is law-abiding.

Garda Kelly agreed with Maurice Coffey, defending Silvester, that his client became involved in this criminality some time after his arrival in Ireland in 2015 and had no record of shopping in high-end stores or trappings of wealth.

It was also accepted that Ogbuefi appeared to have a more active role than Silvester.

Defence counsel told the court their clients accepted the verdicts of the jury and were remorseful.

Testimonials were handed to the court on behalf of both men.

Mr Devally asked the court to view Ogbuefi as being “appointed to a position of local authority in a wider organisation”.

Mr Coffey said Silvester was under pressure and desperate at the time.

He asked the court to consider that his client did not come to Ireland to get involved in this offending, but fell into temptation at a time of vulnerability.

Kenya’s High Court has ruled that mobile phone numbers are not disposable assets, but constitutionally protected digital identifiers, striking at the core of a long-standing industry practice of arbitrarily reassigning inactive SIM cards without the owners’ consent.

In a landmark decision that could reshape telecom regulation and digital identity frameworks across Africa, sitting at Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, Justice Lawrence Mugambi declared that reassigning a phone number without the original owner’s consent violates the right to privacy.

The ruling effectively elevates a SIM card into the same legal category as personal data tied to an individual’s private life.

At the heart of the ruling is Article 31 of the Constitution, which safeguards citizens from unnecessary disclosure of private information and interference with communications.

The court found that in today’s digital economy, a registered mobile number functions as a critical gateway to sensitive personal data, linking users to mobile money platforms like M-PESA, banking systems, email accounts, and social media profiles.

“When mobile digital identity is lost through reallocation or recycling without interrogating the reasons behind inactivity, it creates an avenue for unauthorised disclosure of delicate information,” the judgment stated.

The case, brought by Erastus Ngura Odhiambo, petitioner and former prisoner, challenged the routine telecoms practice of deactivating SIM cards after prolonged inactivity and reassigning them to new users.

Odhiambo lost access to his mobile phone number due to inactivity while serving his lengthy sentence.

He argued that the practice exposes individuals to serious risks, including misdirected financial transactions, intercepted one-time passwords, and unintended access to private communications.

The court agreed, highlighting how recycled numbers can result in strangers receiving confidential messages, authentication codes, and even being added to private messaging groups, effectively inheriting fragments of another person’s digital life.

Justice Mugambi also criticised the rigidity of SIM deactivation policies, calling them “arbitrary” for failing to consider legitimate reasons for inactivity such as incarceration, studying in restricted environments, or living abroad.

“Incarceration does not strip an individual of their constitutional rights to privacy and identity,” he noted.

For telecom operators, including Safaricom, the ruling introduces a significant compliance burden. The court outlined three strict conditions before any number can be reassigned.

Telcos must obtain informed and verifiable consent from the original owner, issue a public notice and conduct traceability efforts over a reasonable period.

More importantly, the court further directed that telecoms firms must implement technical safeguards to prevent data exposure to the new user.

The Office of the Attorney General has been given six months to translate these directives into enforceable regulations.

Providus Bank Limited has dispelled media reports over its compliance with regulatory capital requirements, confirming that it has successfully met and exceeded the recapitalisation threshold set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In a statement, the bank clarified that under the CBN’s recapitalisation framework, regional commercial banks are mandated to maintain a minimum capital base of N50 billion, stating unequivocally that it achieved this benchmark as far back as January 2025 and has since strengthened its financial standing.

According to the bank, its current paid-up capital stands at N65 billion, significantly above the regulatory minimum, underscoring its resilience and commitment to sound financial management.

The bank noted that this strong capital position places it in good stead to support its growth strategy and continue delivering value to customers and stakeholders.

Providus Bank emphasied that any suggestion implying non-compliance with the CBN’s recapitalisation requirement was inaccurate and does not reflect its current regulatory status.

The bank reiterated its dedication to maintaining robust governance standards and aligning with all prudential guidelines set by the apex regulator.

It explained: Providus Bank Limited notes recent media reports regarding the recapitalisation status of certain banks and considers it important to provide factual clarification as it relates to the Bank. Under the CBN recapitalisation framework, regional commercial banks are required to maintain a minimum capital base of N50 billion.

“Providus Bank confirms that it had met its capital requirement since January 2025 and currently has a capital base of N65 billiom which is in excess of its capital requirement.

Accordingly, any suggestion that Providus Bank has not met the applicable recapitalisation threshold is not consistent with its current regulatory standing.”

The Olayemi Cardoso-led Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had, on March 28, 2024, announced a two-year bank recapitalisation exercise which commenced on April 1, 2024.

The 24-month timeline for compliance ends on March 31, 2026. The upward capital revision is expected to ensure that Nigerian banks have the capacity to take on bigger risks and stay afloat amid both domestic and external shocks.

Specifically, the recapitalisation exercise requires a minimum capital of N500 billion, N200 billion, and N50 billion for commercial banks with international, national, and regional licences, respectively.