‘ Why I forged my friend’s signature’

A 22-year-old man on Tuesday told an Abuja Magistrate Court sitting in Jiwa that he forged his friend’s signature in order to have access to his account and get some money to further his education.

Shehu Abdullahi, 22, said he had wanted to withdraw N30,000 from his friend’s account in order to raise money and further his education after finishing from a secondary school.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Noah Moses, had informed the court that the accused, who lives with the friend, went to a bank at Deidei building materials’ market and attempted to commit the crime.

He said a staff of the bank reported to the police that the accused forged the signature of one of their customers in order to withdraw N30,000,adding that the bank noticed the difference in the signature and alerted the owner of the account, who denied knowledge of the transaction.

According to the prosecutor, the accused was immediately arrested and that during interrogation, he admitted committing the offence.

When the charge was read to him, he pleaded guilty. He said his desire to further his education led him to the crime, pleading with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Senior Magistrate Josephine Obanor, sentenced him to two months imprisonment with an option to pay N2,000 as fine.