EFCC Arraigns Four Over N10 million Fake Currency

L-R Zubairu Jafaru, Sani Iliasu, Shaibu Ibrahim, Bashir Musa arraigned for forgery and unlawful possession of fake Currency b4 a Kaduna Federal High Court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday 14 January, 2009 arraigned four men; Zubairu Ja’faru, Sani Iliyasu, Shuabu Ibrahim and Bashir Musa on a seven count charge of forgery and unlawful possession of the sum of over N10, 000,000 (Ten Million Naira) before a Kaduna Federal High Court presided by Hon Justice Shuabu Mohammed.

The accused persons who pleaded innocence to the charges were alleged to have committed the offence along side some others who are now at large, between January and October 2008. Two of the suspects, Zubairu Ja’faru and Sani Iliyasu were intercepted on the 3 rd October 2008 by the immigration service in Kano after some intelligence report was received on them.They were later handed over to the EFCC on October 16,2008 while two others, Shuabu Ibrahim and Bashir Musa were arrested also in Kano by EFCC operatives in the course of their investigation.

According to the prosecution lawyer, one of the suspects on the run, Mohammed Garuba was the principal receiver of the fake monies whose job was to integrate the notes into the system.

Zubairu Jafaru, Kingpin of the fake currency Syndicate

He was said to be a staff of the Federal Inland Revenue in Kano State but EFCC’s investigation revealed that he has not been in the office for over a year.

The offences were contrary to several sections of the (Miscellaneous Offences Decree No 20 of 1984) as amended by the Tribunals (Certain Consequential Amendments, etc) Decree 62 of 1999 and the Special Tribunal (Miscellaneous Offences) Act Cap 410 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990. All were equally punishable under different sections of the decrees.

According to the Charge sheet, the accused persons alongside some others who are now at large had on three different occasions, fraudulently and knowingly forged more than 10,000 pieces of One Thousand Naira notes with serial numbers B/261973558, B/335507298, and B/357477001 respectively.

After taking their plea, the prosecution lawyer, Sir Steve Odiase, moved an application for commencement of trial, which was not objected by the defence counsel, Ali Musa. Musa however, moved for the bail of the suspects, which has been fixed for hearing on 27 and 28 January 2009.

Meanwhile, Justice Shuabu has ordered the suspects to be remanded in EFCC custody even as the Commission has concluded arrangements to invite CBN experts and Immigration officials as witnesses in the matter.