Counterfeit money: Bread seller bags 1-year jail term in Lagos

AN Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday, sentenced a 27-year-old bread seller, Ifeanyi Osuohae, to one year in prison for possession of fake currency.

The convict, who lives at No. 1, Lateef St., Orile-Agege in Lagos, was arraigned and tried for possessing fake currency.

The magistrate, Mr A. A. Fashola, who gave the verdict, said the convict was found guilty of the charge.

Fashola, however, gave the convict an option to pay N50,000 as fine.

Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mike Unah, told the court that the accused had in his possession, N2,000 counterfeit notes.

He said that the accused committed the offence on June 11 about 1:30 a.m. at Akerele Street, Agege, a Lagos suburb.

He told the court that the accused boarded a taxi and paid his fare with a fake N1,000 note and he was given N700 change.

“The driver checked the fake N1,000 note and found out that it did not have CBN governor’s signature.

“The accused started arguing with the driver and in the process, the driver quickly drove to the nearest police checkpoint and alerted them.

“The police found another fake N1,000 note on the accused after a thorough search,” he said.

He told the court that the offence contravened Section 372 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).