Police arraign man with fake $38,000

A 25-year-old man, Dare Samuel, has been arraigned by the police in a Yaba Magistrate's Court, Lagos State, for trying to save a fake sum of $38,000 (about N7m) in a bank.

It was learnt that the suspect was arrested on November 26, at a branch of the United Bank for Africa Plc in Ikeja, the state capital, when he wanted to deposit the sum.

It was gathered that a banker, who was attending to the suspect, raised the alarm after confirming the notes to be fake.

Samuel was said to have been delayed by the banker while a senior staff member phoned a police station, leading to his arrest.

Our correspondent learnt that he was later transferred to the Department of Criminal Investigation in the Yaba area of the state for investigation.

Police said Samuel had committed the alleged crime in connivance with some suspects who were at large.

A prosecutor, Inspector Rita Momah, brought the defendant before the court's magistrate, Mrs. A.0. Ajibade, on two counts bordering on forgery.

The charges read, 'That you, Dare Samuel, and others at large, on November 26, 2014, at about 4pm, at the UBA Plc on Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, in the Lagos Magistrate District, did conspire to commit felony to wit; possession of forged notes, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

'That you, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial district did have in your possession a sum of $38,000 suspected to be fake and knowing it to be forged and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 370 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.'

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the counts.
Ajibade admitted him to bail in the sum of N150,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must be blood relation with the defendant, adding that their addresses and means of livelihood should be verified by the court.

The case was adjourned till January 28, 2015. - Punch.