Two Individuals Convicted for Counterfeiting Currency in Lagos.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Command, has achieved a significant legal victory with the conviction and sentencing of Iliyasu Garba and Joseph Ude by Justice K.O. Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos. The charges against them revolved around counterfeiting and possession of counterfeit currency.
They stood trial alongside Benjamin Opara on five counts related to counterfeiting and possession of counterfeit currency. While Garba and Ude pleaded guilty, Opara maintained his innocence.
Prosecutor T.J. Banjo presented the case, calling upon EFCC operative Adamu Yakubu to outline the details. Yakubu revealed that the Nigerian Customs Service had apprehended Ifeanacho Ugbor Marcellinus for possessing counterfeit United States dollar bills worth $10,000. Marcellinus, upon interrogation, claimed ignorance of the counterfeit nature of the currency and confessed that Ude had provided it to him for delivery to an individual in Brazil.
Subsequently, Ude confessed to purchasing the counterfeit dollars from Garba at the rate of N1,500 per $1 in November 2023. Garba, during investigation, admitted involvement in currency counterfeiting but stated that he acquired the counterfeit money from Opara.
The prosecution sought to present extrajudicial statements, forensic analysis printouts, and the counterfeit currencies as evidence, which Justice Ogundare admitted and marked as exhibits. The judge found Garba and Ude guilty as charged.
Defense counsels AbdulMalik Ibrahim and Gideon Igwebuike appealed for leniency, requesting a non-custodial sentence or a fine option. Justice Ogundare sentenced Garba and Ude to six months’ imprisonment from the date of arrest, with a fine option of N100,000.00.
Opara’s bail hearing is scheduled for April 22, 2024, with the judge remanding him at the Correctional Centre until then.
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