A 38-year-old Nigerian man who was caught with six false passports, a machine used to clone ATM cards and 17 magnetic strips has been jailed in Ireland.
Lateef Tiamiyu was sentenced to two years imprisonment by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday, November 23, 2022.
Garda Sean Duignan told Karl Moran BL, prosecuting, that gardaí secured a warrant to search Tiamiyu’s home after he was identified as the person who had attempted to open a bank account using a false passport and utility bill.
The house was searched on May 28, 2021 when a machine, used to clone ATM or debit cards and also make such cards, was discovered, along with the magnetic strips and false passports.
Tiamiyu was arrested but took no responsibility for anything that was found during the search.
Gda Duignan agreed with Dominic McGinn SC, defending, that Tiamiyu left Nigeria and came to Ireland in 2012. He got married two years later and the couple have three children together. He also supports two older children who still live in Nigeria.
He accepted that Tiamiyu has a good work history in Ireland, has no previous convictions and has not come to garda attention since his arrest.
Judge Nolan said that he must draw the inference that the only reason someone would have these items is to engage in profitable criminality.
“Although I cannot say he was going to be a major player….there is no point in having such a machine or these passports unless they are going to be used,” he continued.
He took into account Taimiyu’s co-operation, admissions, lack of previous convictions and family responsibilities but said he “must suffer a term of imprisonment despite his very good mitigation.”
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