Two young people “DI” and “BD” were sentenced to 5 years including 01 year firm and a suspended fine of 5 million by the correctional chamber of the high court of Bobo-Dioulasso. They were found guilty of using counterfeit banknotes in the town of Bobo-Dioulasso.
DI” is a gold digger while “BD” does mechanics. The two get along well. One day “BD” informs his companion that there is a powerful marabout in the locality of Bérégadougou. That the latter can make money multiply. Then “DI” animated by the feeling of easy gain, rallied immediately. The two go to the marabout one day with the sum of 150,000 CFA francs, hoping to return with a lot of money.
When they arrive, the marabout takes the 150,000 FCA then tells them to wait for him. While waiting, one even spends the night there and the other returns to see his wife who was in the hospital for treatment. The next day, the marabout gives them new banknotes worth 300,000 CFA francs. While these tickets are fake. Despite everything, the two individuals share the banknotes to proceed with their circulation. “BD”, used part of this money to pay for a power-bank. While “DI” wanted to make a deposit of 50,000 CFA francs in an account in an Orange Money kiosk, the owner detects that these are counterfeit notes.
He immediately informs the regional section of the judicial police (SR/PJ). The same evening around 7 p.m., both suspects were arrested and then taken to the Bobo-Dioulasso Remand and Correctional Center (MACB). At the bar, on Monday March 27, 2023, the two defendants said they were unaware of the falsity of the tickets. During the interrogation on the merits, the judge asks them the question of whether a marabout can make banknotes. One replies: “We saw that the banknotes were new.
That’s why we didn’t know if they are counterfeit notes or not”. After the debates, the prosecution considers that the facts of counterfeiting by the two are constituted in accordance with article 371 of the new penal code. At the Bobo courthouse. Therefore, requires against them the prison sentence of 05 years including 03 years firm and a fine of 5 million suspended fine. The defense attorney insists his clients were naïve at the time. They were unaware that the tickets were fake, argued the counsel for the defendants.
The criminal court declared them guilty of counterfeiting. He keeps them in the bonds of prevention by condemning them each to 05 years including 01 year firm and 5 million CFA francs, suspended.
Ben Alassane Dao
