JUST IN: Two Jailed Over Currency Counterfeiting In Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Command, has successfully prosecuted and secured the conviction of Iliyasu Garba and Joseph Ude before Justice K.O. Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

They were charged with counterfeiting and possession of counterfeit currency.

The defendants, along with Benjamin Opara, were arraigned on a five-count charge related to counterfeiting and possession of counterfeit currency. While Garba and Ude pleaded guilty, Opara pleaded not guilty.

During the trial, the prosecuting counsel, T.J. Banjo, presented evidence through EFCC operative Adamu Yakubu.

Yakubu testified that Ifeanacho Ugbor Marcellinus was apprehended by the Nigerian Customs Service for possessing counterfeit United States dollar bills worth $10,000.

Marcellinus confessed that the counterfeit currency was given to him by Joseph Ude for delivery to someone in Brazil.

Subsequently, Ude admitted to purchasing the counterfeit dollars from Garba at a rate of N1,500 per $1 in November 2023. Garba confessed to engaging in currency counterfeiting but claimed to have obtained the counterfeit money from Benjamin Opara.

The court admitted their statements, forensic analysis printouts, and counterfeit currencies as evidence.

Justice Ogundare found Garba and Ude guilty as charged and sentenced them to six months imprisonment from the day of arrest, with an option of a fine of N100,000 each.

The bail hearing for Opara was adjourned until April 22, 2024, and he was remanded in the Correctional Centre.

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