Man jailed for forging bank loan

A LIMASSOL man was yesterday jailed for five months after pleading guilty to forging a bank loan and illegally obtaining £3,000.

Yesterday, a Nicosia Court ruled that 38-year-old Costas Costa had deliberately forged the signature of two guarantees so that he could obtain money to buy a car back in 1999.

The theft came to light when the two guarantors were alerted with lawsuits in 2003 after the defendant did not keep up the payments in the loan.

The stunned people, whose names were supposedly signed on the bank loan, immediately alerted the police who in turn arrested Costa.

He was then charged with forgery and obtaining money under false pretences. Costa immediately pleaded guilty.

Sentencing the defendant yesterday, Judge Angelos David said despite pleas from the defence, the seriousness of the crime and the conditions under which they were committed does not convince the court that mitigation could overrule a prison sentence altogether.

“The court sentences the defendant to five months imprisonment for the charge of forgery and two months for the charge of obtaining money under false pretences. Both sentences will run concurrently”, said the judge.

“Thanks for everything. You guys did a great job,” the defendant sarcastically told his defence lawyers as he was escorted out of the courtroom.
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