British Nigeria Ochuko Ojiri pleads guilty to terrorism financing
By Samuel Ogunsona
A British-Nigerian art dealer and former BBC Bargain Hunt expert, Oghenochuko “Ochuko” Ojiri, has pleaded guilty to terrorism financing offences in the United Kingdom, Irohinoodua monitored the report this weekend
Ojiri, 53, admitted to eight counts of failing to report suspicious transactions related to terrorism financing between October 2020 and December 2021.
According to reports, Ojiri sold artworks worth £140,000 to Nazem Ahmad, a sanctioned individual accused of supporting the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.
The court heard that Ojiri was aware of Ahmad’s sanctioned status, having accessed news reports and conversations discussing Ahmad’s alleged links to terrorism.
Ojiri’s offenses took place despite his gallery, Ramp Gallery (now known as the Ojiri Gallery), hiring a third-party adviser to provide compliance guidance.
However, the advice was not properly acted upon, leading to Ojiri directly negotiating with Ahmad and congratulating him on his purchases.
The prosecution’s case revealed that online material showed Ahmad’s alleged connections to the “blood diamond” trade, which is sometimes used to fund armed conflict and insurgencies.
The UK Government had sanctioned Ahmad in April 2023, freezing his assets and banning UK nationals from doing business with him.
Ojiri was charged following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s specialist arts and antiques unit, alongside the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation and HM Revenue & Customs. He was granted bail but ordered to surrender his passport and refrain from applying for international travel documents.
Ojiri will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on June 6.
