The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Enugu State zonal command has dragged one Onuigbo Chibuzor to court on a one-count charge of currency racketeering.
The suspect who pleaded guilty in front of Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Enugu on Tuesday bagged three months in prison, with the option of a fine of N200,000.00.
Chibuzor was detained near Otigba in Fresh Haven, Enugu State, after selling N40,000.00 in fresh Naira notes for N60,000.00.
The lone count charge reads: “That you, Onuigbo Chibuzor on the 8th of June, 2024 at Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, hawked the total sum of Forty Thousand Naira (N40, 000. 00) mints in Two Hundred Naira (200) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act”.
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The EFCC Counsel, Ajobiewe Rotimi Enitan, reviewed the facts of the case and presented the defendant’s confessional remarks and the aforementioned money, which were entered into evidence.
In a plea of allocutus, defense attorney I. Davidson asked the court to balance justice with mercy, noting that “he is a first-time offender and a family man with three children.”
Justice Umar convicted and sentenced Chibuzor to three months in prison, with the option of a fine of N200,000.00.
The court further directed that the N40,000 be restored to the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account.