An unemployed father-of-three, who previously worked as a bus driver, is on trial at the High Criminal Court for allegedly possessing a counterfeit 500 Saudi Riyal banknote.
The 48-year-old Bahraini from East Sitra has pleaded not guilty to charges of intending to circulate the forged note as genuine currency, claiming that it was handed to him by another person.
“Out of my foolishness, I took the note,” he earlier told the Public Prosecution, explaining that a passenger he had been driving gave him the banknote and asked for BD30 in exchange.
Authorities found the allegedly counterfeit note on the defendant during a search following the defendant’s arrest on suspicion of drug possession.
A forensic expert testified that the counterfeit banknote was of ‘decent’ quality, noting that an ordinary person could easily be misled into believing it was genuine. According to the investigation, the banknote was produced by scanning a genuine 500 Saudi Riyal note and reproducing it using a printer.
A Central Investigation Department (CID) policeman testified that the note was fake.
“The Public Prosecution had issued an order to investigate the defendant, and when he was apprehended and searched, the 500 SAR note was found in his personal belongings,” he said.
He was sentenced to three months in prison and fined BD100 for possession of narcotics.
The defendant’s criminal record showed that he was previously charged with the same crime for which he currently stands accused.
Possessing a counterfeit currency is a felony, criminalised by Articles 262 and 263 of the Bahrain Penal Code.
“A punishment of imprisonment and a fine shall be inflicted upon any person who imitates, forges or counterfeits in any manner whatsoever any currency notes or coins that are lawfully used in the State of Bahrain or in any other state with the intent of using or trading in them,” the law reads.
‘Distributing or possessing’ the forged currency is also against the law
Judges are set to issue a verdict in the case on March 31.
&uuid=(email))