Two foreign currency counterfeiters, Ajibade Ismail Adio and Adewumi John Olorode, were today, convicted and sentenced to two years Imprisonment, by the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The dou were convicted and sentenced to the jail-terms, after they pleaded guilty to a two-count amended charge of being in possession of 165 pieces of fake $100 United States of America dollars and 139 pieces of 10, 000 bill of CFA Franc.
The two convicts were arraigned today before Justice Tijjani Ringim by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Arraigning the convicts, EFCC prosecutor, Barrister Samuel Daji, told the court that they were arrested by Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) on April 15, 2022, in one of the country’s borders in Ogun State.
He told the court that the convicts were arrested with the foreign currencies numbered PE81052313B and 21233443907A, with an intent that it may in any way be used as genuine.
The prosecutor Daji told the court that the offences committed are contrary to section 456 and punishable under section 467 (2)(g) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The two convicts, pleaded guilty to the charges when it was read to them.
Following their guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence them as charged and with their guilty plea.
However, their counsel, Abimbola Akinsanya and Patience Amadi, urged the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing their clients. The counsel specifically ask the court to take cognisance of the plea bargain arrangement between their clients and prosecution.
Justice Ringim after listening to counsel for the prosecution and defence, sentenced each of the convicts to one year improvement on each of the counts.
The judge however ordered that the jail terms are run concurrently and to take effect from the date the convicts were arrested.
