A Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State’s Yaba district sentenced Abubakar Sodiq to two years in prison for allegedly carrying fake $400 in the state’s Idumota district.
On August 8, 2023, the 25-year-old felon was first arraigned before Magistrate A.O Salawu.
The prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, told the court that on August 1, 2023, at Idumota, Sodiq allegedly went to one Buhari, a scrap collector, with fake dollars worth N250,000 for exchange and succeeded. Therefore, on the same day, he returned with another fake 400 dollars but unfortunately, Buhari caught the attention of the public and he was caught.
He was however arrested and charged to court.
He was arraigned before the court on a two-count charge bordering on possession of fake 400 dollars.
The offences contravened Sections 411 and 372 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
The count charge read in part, “That you, Abubakar Sodik and one other now at large, on September 1, 2023, around 1. 43 p.m. at Idumota, Lagos Island, in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire together to commit felony to wit: Purchasing of Four Hundred Dollars suspected to be forged fake bank notes and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 411 the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
The court identified the fake four hundred dollars recovered from the defendant at the time of arrest tendered as exhibits.
The convict however pleaded guilty to the offences preferred against him.
In her ruling, the magistrate, Salawu, said the defendant was guilty of the charges and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment with no option of fine from October 2023.