The Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on February 2, 2022, arraigned the trio of Alpha Dore Kilyobas, Morufu Loayiwola Buraimo and Auwal Sa’ad on three separate charges bordering on conspiracy and currency counterfeiting before Justice Sale Kongo of the Federal High Court, Yola, Adamawa State.
The offences contravene Section 5(1) (b) of the Counterfeit Currency Special Provision Act, Cap C 35 of LPL, 2004
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the respective charges preferred against them.
The court reserved ruling on their bail applications till February 14, 2022 and ordered their remand in Yola Correctional Centre.
The trio who were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services, Adamawa State Command, before being transferred to the Commission, were alleged to have, at different times, attempted to transact business at various Point of Sale (PoS) outlets across the state with counterfeit notes.
Further investigation revealed Auwal Saโad as the leader of the syndicate from whom the other defendants received their counterfeit notes.
He was found to have sold counterfeit N50, 000 notes in N1,000 denomination for N15,000 to Alpha Dore Kilyobas, who in turn, sold to Morufu Loayiwola Buraimo before he was arrested.
Saโad claimed he was paid with the fake currencies by one Lawan (now at large) whom he said bought two bags of maize from him sometime in December, 2019.
