Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday sentenced one James Onwuso to seven years imprisonment for printing fake naira notes.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Buba, also ordered the forfeiture of the machine used by Onwuso in printing the fake currency to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, adding that the fake N200, N500 and N1,000 notes recovered from the convict be destroyed.
The Attorney General of the Federation had in 2012, arraigned Onwuso on three counts bordering on the said offence.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, told the court that the convict was apprehend on November 15, 2011, in the Gbagada area of Lagos State.
According to Bode-Ayeni the convict was found in possession of the machine, printing papers and fake N200, N500 and N1,000 notes.
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.
Following the convict’s confessional statement tendered in evidence by the prosecution, Justice Buba convicted Onwuso to seven years imprisonment.
Onwuso in his confessional statement had alleged that he went into the illegal venture after retiring from the Nigerian Army, adding that he had a supplier who brought him printing papers.
The court held that the prosecution proved its case against the convict 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 held.
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