The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kano Zonal Office Thursday, arraigned Salisu Mohammed and Saminu Lazarus on a two-count charge bordering on alleged possession of counterfeit currency.
The duo appeared before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Kano State.
Mohammed was reportedly arrested in Dauran Sallau, a community in Kura Local Government, Kano State for allegedly being in possession of fake Naira and dollar notes – 91 pieces of N1,000 notes, two pieces of $50 notes and 44 pieces of $100 notes.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement said its investigations indicted Lazarus as the supplier of the fake currency notes.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Salisu Mohammed and Saminu Lazarus sometime in June 2019 in Kano within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Kano did conspire between yourselves to commit an illegal act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 (2) (b) and punishable under Section 5 (1) (b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, C35, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
But the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On this basis, counsel for the EFCC, Musa Isah, urged the court to fix a date for hearing and to remand them in prison.
But Counsel for the defence, Sani Wadau, prayed the court to hear the application for the bail of the first defendant and requested to approach the court at a later date to move the application for the bail of the second defendant.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu declined to hear the bail applications on different days, and so adjourned to October 17, to hear the bail applications for both of them and commencement of trial.
He also ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison.
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