Fraudster Arraigned For Currency Counterfeiting
- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned one Abubakar Soro before Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Gombe, on a six-count charge bordering on possession and dealing in counterfeit United States Dollar notes.
The offence is punishable under Sections 4 (1) and 5 (1) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provision) Act CAP C35 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all counts, which were read and translated to him in Hausa, after he claimed not to understand English.
Following the plea, counsel to EFCC, Ja’afar Al Qasim asked the court for a date to commence trial. Barrister S.O. Akporigo, counsel to the accused, raised no objection but notified the court of his intention to file a formal bail application on behalf of his client.
Justice Quadri adjourned the matter to 21st June 2012 for hearing, while the accused was remanded in prison custody.
Abubakar Soro, 41, was arrested on 14th May 2012 by operatives from the Gombe zonal office of the Commission, based on intelligence information on a syndicate of fraudsters dealing in fake United States Dollar bills in Bauchi State. Soro, who parades himself as a business mogul, was identified as the arrowhead of the syndicate.
During investigations, 99 pieces of $100 bills, amounting to $9,900, were found on him. He claimed he bought them from Kano.
However, he confessed to other fraudulent activities, including defrauding unsuspecting persons while posing as a spiritualist with powers to make people rich. He plies this trade both in Nigeria and Cameroun.
Explaining how the scam works, Soro said whenever a prey falls for their bait, they would invite him to a room, where he is tricked into believing that an unseen voice promising to make him wealthy actually belongs to the spirit realm. In the desperation not to miss the opportunity to get rich such victims are asked to bring large sums of money for prayers. The demands are repeated several times until the fraudsters are satisfied that they have sufficiently milked the victim and they then disappear.
The offence is punishable under Sections 4 (1) and 5 (1) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provision) Act CAP C35 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all counts, which were read and translated to him in Hausa, after he claimed not to understand English.
Following the plea, counsel to EFCC, Ja’afar Al Qasim asked the court for a date to commence trial. Barrister S.O. Akporigo, counsel to the accused, raised no objection but notified the court of his intention to file a formal bail application on behalf of his client.
Justice Quadri adjourned the matter to 21st June 2012 for hearing, while the accused was remanded in prison custody.
Abubakar Soro, 41, was arrested on 14th May 2012 by operatives from the Gombe zonal office of the Commission, based on intelligence information on a syndicate of fraudsters dealing in fake United States Dollar bills in Bauchi State. Soro, who parades himself as a business mogul, was identified as the arrowhead of the syndicate.
During investigations, 99 pieces of $100 bills, amounting to $9,900, were found on him. He claimed he bought them from Kano.
However, he confessed to other fraudulent activities, including defrauding unsuspecting persons while posing as a spiritualist with powers to make people rich. He plies this trade both in Nigeria and Cameroun.
Explaining how the scam works, Soro said whenever a prey falls for their bait, they would invite him to a room, where he is tricked into believing that an unseen voice promising to make him wealthy actually belongs to the spirit realm. In the desperation not to miss the opportunity to get rich such victims are asked to bring large sums of money for prayers. The demands are repeated several times until the fraudsters are satisfied that they have sufficiently milked the victim and they then disappear.
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