Nigeria: EFCC Docks Man Over Fake $492,000 Notes
Samson Otuedon
Adetokunbo Fakeye
The Nigeria Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday arraigned one Samson Otuedon before Justice P. H. Mallong of the Federal High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on one count charge of currency counterfeiting.
Otuedon, according to EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren was arrested by the EFCC on April 7, 2018following an intelligence report on the activities of a syndicate of fraudsters duping unsuspecting victims in the Masaka, Karu Local Government Area of the State.
Upon his arrest, over Four Hundred Thousand fake United States Dollars was recovered.
The count against him reads: “That you, Samson Otuedon, on or about the 7th day of April, 2018 at Riverside Masaka, Nasarawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court had in your possession 4,921 pieces of US $100 denominated bills totaling $492.100 (Four Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand, One Hundred United States Dollars) knowing them to be counterfeits and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5(1)(b) and punishable under Section 5(2) of the counterfeit currency (Special Provisions) Acts, Cap C35,vol 4, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004“.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In view of his plea, Elizabeth Alabi, counsel to the EFCC, asked the court to fix a date for hearing and for the remand of the defendant in prison custody pending trial.
But, Pereboh Sanami, representing the defendant, informed the court of a pending application dated May 4, 2018, praying the court to admit the defendant to bail.
Justice Mallong adjourned to May 14, 2018 for hearing on the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in Lafia prison.
