British-Nigerian art dealer, Ogeneochuko Ojiri has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after failing to report a series of high-value art transactions involving Nazem Ahmad, a man suspected of financing Hezbollah.
The 53-year-old, who once appeared on the BBC programme Antiques Road Trip, admitted to selling approximately £140,000 worth of artwork to Ahmad, despite being aware of his alleged links to the proscribed terrorist organisation.
PUNCH Online had reported that Ojiri pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges after admitting to selling valuable artworks to a man accused of financing Hezbollah.
He specifically admitted to eight counts under the Terrorism Act 2000for failing to disclose the suspicious transactions during the course of his business activities.
Notably, Ojiri is the first person charged under Section 21A of the Act, which makes it a criminal offence to withhold information that could prevent terrorism financing.
Prosecutors told the court that Ojiri was fully aware of Ahmad’s background and deliberately concealed their dealings.
It was alleged he manipulated invoices related to the art sales and saved Ahmad’s name under an alias in his phone.
The court heard that Ojiri was “motivated by greed and a desire to ‘boost the reputation’ of his business, the Shoreditch-based Ojiri Gallery, by ‘dealing with such a well-known collector.’”
While delivering the sentence at the Old Bailey, Justice Cheema-Grubb criticised Ojiri’s actions, stating,”You knew it was your duty to alert the authorities but you elected to balance the financial profit and commercial success of your business against Ahmad’s dark side.”
Ojiri was given a custodial sentence of two years and six months, with an additional one year on extended licence.
According to his barrister, Kevin Irwin, Ojiri was arrested on 18 April 2023 in Wrexham while filming a BBC show. Irwin added that his client’s “humiliation is complete” as he faced sentencing.
On the same day Ojiri was arrested, Ahmad was sanctioned by the UK government.
Authorities subsequently seized artworks stored in two UK warehouses, including pieces by Picasso and Warhol, valued at nearly £1 million.
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