Nigerian remanded for allegedly possessing fake currency notes
A 55-year-old Nigerian, who allegedly smuggled CFA Franc and Nigerian Naira notes, suspected to be counterfeit currency notes, into the country has been remanded by the Accra Circuit Court.
The accused is said to have in his possession CFA80,653,000 and N10,500
Aremu Timoty Adegboyega, charged with possessing forged notes, pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution prayed the court to remand accused because he was flight risk and would interfere with police investigation.
The Court presided over Mrs Afia Owusuaa Appiah, remanded accused in police custody for further investigations.
The prosecution was directed by the court to file and serve all disclosures and witness statements.
The case has been adjourned to February 9, 2023.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah, told the court that the complainants were Customs Officers, stationed at the Aflao Sector, while the accused was based in Cote D’Ivoire.
The prosecution said on January 17, 2023, the complainants were on duty at Beat Zero, an unapproved route along the Ghana-Togo border within the Aflao area.
It said the complainants accosted accused sitting on a motorcycle as a pillion rider carrying a backpack.
The prosecution said accused, who was travelling from Togo, entered Ghana through an unapproved route so the complainants became suspicious and conducted a search in the back pack he was carrying.
It said the search revealed bundles of CFA Franc notes and Nigerian Naira notes, suspected to be counterfeit, being smuggled into Ghana through the unapproved route.
The prosecution said the currency notes counted in front of accused where CFA80,653,000 and N10,500.
It said accused was later escorted to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority Headquarters, Accra for further investigations.
The prosecution said on January 20, 2023, the case was handed over to the police for continuation of investigations.
It said accused allegedly admitted the offence in his investigation cautioned statement.
Prosecution indicated that accused said he was aware that the notes were counterfeit and claimed, one Alhaji Dialo, a Mallam in Abidjan, sent him to collect the currency notes from one Alhaji Saibu in Nigeria. —GNA
