Lagos high court sentences forger to seven years in jail for printing fake currency notes

FORGER James Onwuso has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the Lagos Federal High Court for printing fake naira notes after he was found guilty of producing illegal currently in his house.

 

Following a police raid on his home on November 15, 2011, in the Gbagada area of Lagos State, Mr Onwuso was caught in possession of fake N200, N500 and N1,000 notes. A printing machine was also confiscated from him as well as several papers used to produce the notes, which were tendered in court as evidence.

 

Delivering his judgement, Justice Ibrahim Buba also ordered the forfeiture of the machine used by Mr Onwuso to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He also ruled that the fake notes recovered from the convict be destroyed.

 

In the suit, the attorney general of the federation had in 2012, arraigned Mr Onwuso on three counts, with prosecutor, Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, telling the court that the accused was apprehend in possession of the notes and machine. Mr Bode-Ayeni, stated that the offence contravened Sections 1 (1) and 2 of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provision) Act Cap C35 of the Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

 

In his confessional statement, Mr Onwuso said he went into the illegal venture after retiring from the Nigerian Army, adding that he had a supplier who brought him printing papers. His confession led the court to rule the prosecution had proven its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubts.

 

“In view of the facts before me, you are hereby sentenced to seven years, imprisonment for count one and another seven years for counts one and two, to run concurrently beginning from the time of arrest. The counterfeit notes and machines are to be forwarded to the CBN for destruction,” Justice Buba ruled.