A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has convicted and sentenced a private School Teacher, Folarin Olayinka, to 10 years imprisonment, for counterfeiting the sum of $38,315 USD.
The convict, whose trial started in 2010, was found guilty of two out of seven counts charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Vanguard Newspaper reports.
The convict was arraigned before Justice John Tsoho, the current Chief Judge of Federal High Court, on a seven-count charge of intent to defraud, unlawful possession of foreign currency and forging of foreign money order.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Samuel Daji, who inherited the case file from the former EFCC’s Head of Legal Department, Mr. Sule Hassan, a Federal High Court judge, were Contrary to Section 6(1) and punishable under Section 3) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provision Act Cap. C35 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. And Section 1(2) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act No. 20 of 1983 as amended by Act No. 62 of 1999.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who read the judgment prepared by the Court’s Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, pronounced the convict guilty of count one and two of the charges and sentenced him to five years imprisonment on each count.
The judge who ordered that the conviction should commence from Monday, however, said that the jail terms should run concurrently.
The convict was said to have on January 29, 2008, at Idi-Iroko, Lagos, with an intent to defraud attempted to export without authority 79 pieces of United States of America of Global Currency Services Money Order, valued at $38, 315.00.
He was also said to have fraudulently forged a United State of America Global Currency Services Money Order No. 059612450 With the value of $485.
The convict had pleaded not guilty to the charges. And he was consequently admitted to bail.
During his trial, the prosecution called four witnesses and tendered several exhibits, which included the forged money orders.
While the convict was the only person that testified in his case before the court and anchored his action to his poverty status.
