Justice Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, Kogi State, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced one Kehinde Amaka, a.k.a. Yomade Ademisoye Ojomo, to one year imprisonment for currency counterfeiting.
Amaka was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two count-charge bordering on possession of $2,028,400.00, an offence contrary to Section 2 and 5.1 (b) of the Counterfeit Currency, Special Provision Act, 2004.
The count one of the charge preferred against him, read: “That you Kehinde Amaka a.k.a Yomade Ademisoye Ojomo, adult, Male Citizen of Nigeria on the 15th May 2024 in Lokoja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court had in your possession the sum of $2,028,400.00 (Two Million Twenty-eight Thousand Four Hundred United States Dollars) worth of counterfeit banknotes in $100 bills denomination knowing to be counterfeit and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 5(1)(b) of the Counterfeit Currency(Special Provision)Act,Cap C35 LFN, 2004.”
Count two read: “That you Kehinde Amaka a.k.a Yomade Ademisoye Ojomo, adult, Male Citizen of Nigeria on the 15th May 2024 in Lokoja, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court without lawful authority had in your possession chemical dye material and instruments for making counterfeit United States $100 Dollar bills denomination and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 2 of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provision) Act. CAP C35 LFN, 2004”.
At the resumed trial on November 12, prosecution counsel, Hadiza Afebua, reminded the court of the matter before it and explained that it was for the continuation of trial and specifically for conviction and sentence of the defendant.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, the First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Alonge Opeyemi Joseph, an operative of the EFCC identified the defendant as the one under prosecution affirming him to bE the defendant.
“I know the defendant, his name is Kehinde Amaka, and I got to know the defendant in the course of investigating this matter that was reported by the NDLEA on 16 May, 2024. The office of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, received a written petition together with the defendant and exhibits containing counterfeited US dollars. Upon receiving the petition and defendant, the matter was assigned to Team B, Counter Terrorism, General Investigation and Pension Section,” he said.
According to Joseph, when he obtained the petition and the defendant together with the exhibits, his team interviewed the defendant and explained everything that transpired concerning the fake US dollars.
He stressed that the fake currencies were counted in the presence of the defendant and his statement was recorded voluntarily under word of caution, adding that in deepening the investigation, the team carried out search on the defendant’s BVN.
Joseph also told the court that in the process of the search, it was revealed that the defendant has Yomade Ademisoye Ojomo, as another name.
“Another bank account linked to the defendant was discovered and based on this development, the team requested for a remand warrant because of the double identity and because the defendant is a flight risk. Thereafter, my lord, the team wrote a letter of investigation to banks and responses were received, although there was no serious cash inflows into the defendant’s bank accounts.
“We found out that the counterfeited United States Dollars totaled $2,028,400.00 (Two Million, Twenty Eight Thousand, Four Hundred USD, Only), contained in a bag, and wrapped with carton papers, together with a bottle of chemical, cotton wool and instruction guidelines on how to mint the fake currency,” he said.
Justice Dashen, in delivering judgment, convicted and sentenced the convict to one year imprisonment on each count and a fine of N300, 000, (Three Hundred Thousand Naira only).
The Judge further ruled that the fake dollars be forfeited to the federal government.
