A Bauchi federal high court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Tanko Salihu, yesterday sentenced an 18-year-old labourer, Adamu Abubakar, to 40 years imprisonment after he was found to have been faking Nigerian currency notes.
Abubakar, also known as Damina Suruku, was arraigned by the EFFC on Tuesday last week before the court on a four-count charge of altering, dealing and possession of fake Nigerian currency notes of N500 and N1000 denominations to which the accused pleaded guilty.
The suspect was a labourer and a loader at Kanti Kwari motor garage in Kano. He was arrested on March 19, 2012 by the vigilante group in Darazo market in Bauchi State trying to buy date with fake N500 note.
When the case came up at the court, counsel for the accused, Sarah Peters, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy and be lenient with the accused, as he was young and a promising youth besides being a first time offender, who was ignorantly lured into committing the crime by his uncle who was said to be at large now.
Peters told the court that the accused was the breadwinner of his family, including his aged parents, adding that he was now repentant and remorseful and had promised never to get involved in the crime again.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Salihu, said the offences Abubakar were charged with carry heavy sanctions without any option of fine, adding, however, that in view of the plea by the accused and by the powers conferred on him by Section 322 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act, he would use his discretion to give Abubakar option of fine.
He gave him the option of fine of N80,000, N65,000, N120,000 and N100,000 on the four count charges against him or in default should spend 10 years in prison on each of the counts, which would, however, run concurrently.
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did the police went further on there investigation to cee if there is any of the printing macine in his posetion, or how many of the fake naira notes in his posetion, this are all the news we want to hera and cee, not this verbal message, the evidence we realy love to cee thats all...
ReplyDeleteThis country has been bought and blinded by the powers that be who parade with thier pregnancies full with the nation's future....this boy is an icon he developed a new consciousness and a skill on self employment...he should be released and employed immediately in CBN for his buisness skills....injustice is one of the factors that will disintegrate this country...
DeleteNice comment Festus, but pls improve on your English. Spelling too bad.
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous.A teenager arrested with fake 500 naira note will be jailed for 40 years!, while our politicians who have looted billions of naira will either go scot free or get just six months.He /she will even be welcome from prison with dancing and drumming. Naija, different stroke for different folk.
ReplyDeleteWhen there is no money in circulation, how would he not create his own CBN? lol.
ReplyDeleteIbori James stole billions of naira and was only sent to 13 years imprisonment. Now this Young lad created job for himself by printing his own currency and they are jailing him for 40 years.
ReplyDeleteTo me i think judiciary is more of our problems in this country than corruption.
am sure this judge woke up on the wrong side of his bed cos dis is definitely not worth it for a teenager and a 1st time offender. does he (the judge)even have kids? cos he ll understand if he does or if he had gone tru tough times in life, whatever happened with tampering justice with mercy.....mtchewww Naija!
ReplyDeleteMike said: This boy should be employed in the Nigerian Minting and security printing rather than going to waste him in the prison.
ReplyDeleteHe is going to be useful to the nation in this area.
This judge had a domestic problem with his wife the very morning the verdict was to be anounced.
ReplyDeleteThe sentence is too hot for this teenager.
I he had tried James Ibori,I bet you,James Ibori would have received 1000years for his crime.
don't mind our judges, judiciaries is the no one problem we have in this country not corrupt people. Ibori, Bankole, Nafada, Bode judge are all enjoying their stolen money now. God will judge you all. Thats how they waste talents little wonder Naija is stagnant. infact its bcos the judge didn't get money from the boy's parent I guess.lolz..
ReplyDelete