FEDERAL HIGH COURT JAILS CHINESE MAN FOR MUTILATING NIGERIAN NAIRA NOTES
The Lagos State Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentencing of a Chinese man identified as Li Lei Lei, to two years in prison for mutilating the Nigerian currency.
The Chinese national was convicted by Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
He was arraigned on a four-count charge which bothers on tampering of the Nigerian currency note, an offence punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Establishment) Act.
One of the count reads, “That you, Li Lei Lei, on the 17th day of May, 2022, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, tampered with One Thousand Naira (N1,000) note, with serial number 947882 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Establishment Act, Cap C4, Vol.1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.”
Another count reads: “That you, Li Lei Lei, on the 17th day of May, 2022 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, tampered with One Thousand Naira (N1,000) note, with serial number 114804 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and, thereby, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, Cap C4, Vol.1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.”
The Chinese man pleaded guilty to the offence.
In view of his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Ayanfe Ogunshina, moved to review the facts of the case.
Ogunshina stated that the convict was arrested on May 17, 2022, while trying to board a flight to Kenya.
He also told the court that, while the Immigration officers were checking Le Lie Lie’s luggage, he angrily tore to pieces the Naira notes to the tune of Three Thousand, and Two Hundred Naira (N3, 200).
He further told the Court that the defendant was, thereafter, arrested by officers of the Department of State Security (DSS), and handed over to the EFCC for investigation and prosecution.
The prosecution counsel tendered the voluntary statements of the convict, which was written in Mandarin language, and translated into English by a known interpreter to the defendant, according to reports.
Ogunshina also tendered the handover note from the DSS to the EFCC and the shredded Naira notes.
Justice Oweibo found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to six months imprisonment on each count, with an option of fine in the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000).
