Man sentenced to 2 years for possessing fake $400 in Lagos

A man named Abubakar Sodiq has been sentenced to a two-year prison term by a Magistrates’ Court located in the Yaba district of Lagos State. This verdict comes as a result of Sodiq’s possession of counterfeit $400 in the Idumota region of the state.

The 25-year-old defendant faced his initial charges before Magistrate A.O Salawu on August 8, 2023.

According to the prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, on August 1, 2023, Sodiq allegedly approached a scrap collector named Buhari in Idumota with fake U.S. dollars worth N250,000, successfully exchanging them. However, on the same day, he returned with another $400 in counterfeit bills. Unfortunately for Sodiq, Buhari’s actions attracted the attention of the public, leading to his apprehension and subsequent legal charges.

Sodiq was arrested and brought before the court on a two-count charge related to the possession of counterfeit $400.

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.