Courts / Armagh / Report

Money laundering conviction quashed

Date
2019-12-10

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
NEWRY

County
Armagh

Summary

The Court of Appeal quashed the money‑laundering conviction of Henry Alinta, 44, owner of Aligreen Recycling Limited, after a trial judge's instructions were found to have confused the jury about the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof. Alinta had been stopped at the M1 Toll Plaza outside Drogheda, where Gardaí found €127,000 and £146,940 in his BMW X6. He claimed the cash was collected on instructions from a Nigerian friend, Sanni, and that he did not know the amount. A jury convicted him after 27 minutes of deliberation and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment, 18 months suspended. The Court of Appeal held that the judge's explanation created "confusion" that was fatal to the trial's integrity, and the conviction was therefore quashed. The case will be reviewed for a possible retrial. Henry Alinta pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Money laundering conviction quashed. Charges or matters: money laundering contrary to Section 7.1 of the Criminal Justice Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act 2010; money laundering by a jury at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after 27 minutes of deliberations and was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Michael O'Shea in 2017. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

2019-12-10 Publication

Case subjects

Henry Alinta

Defendant

Charges: money laundering contrary to Section 7.1 of the Criminal Justice Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act 2010; money laundering by a jury at Trim Circuit Criminal Court after 27 minutes of deliberations and was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Michael O'Shea in 2017 (Proven)

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty