Charles Lawson, a Nigerian on trial for possession of false bank notes, on Monday opened his defense before Acting Principal Magistrate Kumba Sillah Camara of the Bunding Magistrates Court.

Lawson, who failed to fulfill his bail condition, has pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. In his evidence-in-chief, Lawson told the court that on 5 June 2007, he had gone out to buy cash power from the NAWEC branch in Kanifing. He added that on his way back home to Pipeline, he met one Momodou, who asked him to meet him at Dippa Kunda.

According to the defendant, Momodou claimed that he had some money for Lawson to give his friend (another Nigerian). According to him, Momodou told him that he was about to travel and could not get Lawson's friend on the phone.

"He gave me D500 to give it to my friend," he told the court. He then added "I saw two military officers coming towards us. They were  Corporal Sanneh and Mendy who arrested me."