A Nigerian woman was allegedly found with some €20,000 in her underwear in a money laundering case for which she has now been charged.

Customs officers allegedly found almost €30,000 in cash in the woman's possession earlier this month. Nigerian Atinuke Nue Ugoji, 42, claimed she came to Malta from Italy to buy designer clothes during the sales. Customs officer Hillary Fenech testified that he found €9,815 in the woman's handbag and a female officer who had carried out a full body search found €20,000 in her underwear.

The large amount of cash was found wrapped up in serviettes in two batches of €10,000 each and, in turn, covered in tape. Ms Ugoji told the police the cash found in her underwear belonged to friends and the money in her bag was meant to buy clothes.

Police Inspector Yvonne Farrugia said Ms Ugoji's case was linked to that of a Nigerian woman, 23-year-old Charity Ofame Ovbiagele, who earlier this month was also arraigned over money laundering and drug possession.

The officer said Ms Ugoji had Ms Ovbiagele's telephone number and address and the landlord of the latter's apartment had seen Ms Ugoji there before.

Travel agency director Lino Vassallo also testified that Ms Ugoji had purchased a one-way ticket to Brussels on the same day she was arrested by the police at the airport. She had been accompanied by a Nigerian man, Ferdinand Onovo, who had previously called at the agency, accompanied by a woman, to purchase air tickets. Mr Onovo declined to give evidence after Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona warned him of his right to remain silent if he felt in any way that he might incriminate himself.

Defence lawyer Joseph Giglio asked the police inspector whether she had any hard evidence to show that the money found in possession of his client had derived from underlying criminal activity.

She replied that, at this point of the police investigations, she did not have enough evidence with regard to any underlying criminal activity but was investigating on the basis of money laundering laws.

Dr Giglio said he would be making submissions on whether or not there was enough prima facie evidence for his client to be indicted over the money laundering charges.