A man has been sentenced to five years in prison and fined BD500 for using counterfeit currency to obtain goods and services.
The 28-year-old Bahraini used two counterfeit BD20 notes to rent a hotel room and purchase items from a supermarket, but was reported to the police when cashiers realised the notes were fake.
Appearing before the High Criminal Court, the defendant claimed he had no knowledge that the money was fake, stating that the notes were given to him by a man who owed him money.
However, he had previously admitted to the charges during Public Prosecution questioning, acknowledging that he rented the hotel room for BD10 in order to receive a genuine BD10 note as change.
When he was arrested, police reportedly found more forged currencies concealed in a cigarette box.
A forensic expert earlier testified that the counterfeit banknote, which falsely replicated the design of a Central Bank of Bahrain issue, could still deceive some members of the public. He added that it had been produced using a photocopier.
According to court documents, the defendant used the two fake notes to rent a room at a hotel in Manama with the intention of receiving genuine change. He then purchased cigarettes and a lighter from a nearby corner store.
Workers at both establishments quickly realised the banknotes were fake and contacted the police.
Authorities later tracked down and arrested the defendant.
He admitted that he had received the counterfeit notes from another individual, though this person has not been identified or apprehended.
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