CHAPTER I
COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY, BOND OR SECURITY DOCUMENTS
Article 355.-General Provision Concerning Juridical Person
Where the conditions of Article 34 of this Code are found satisfied in respect of crimes specified from Articles 356 to 374 of this Title, a juridical person as well, besides individuals, shall be liable to punishment.
Article 356.- Making.
Whoever, in Ethiopia or abroad, makes without lawful authority or counterfeits currencies used as legal tender, bonds or security documents with intent to utter them as genuine, is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for at least five years.
Article 357.- Forgery.
Whoever, in Ethiopia or abroad, forges, by alteration, overprinting, dyeing or any other means, currencies used as legal tender, bonds or security documents with intent to utter them at a value greater than their current value,
is punishable with rigorous imprisonment not exceeding fifteen years.
Article 358.- Debasing.
Whoever, in Ethiopia or abroad, by mechanical, physical or chemical process, or by any other means, debases legal currencies, with intent to utter them at their full value,
is punishable with rigorous imprisonment not exceeding ten years.
Article 359.- Importation, Exportation, Acquisition, Acceptance in Trust or Offer.
Whoever, with intent to utter them or to cause them to be uttered as genuine or at their current value, imports, exports, acquires or procures, accepts in trust or offers counterfeit or debased currencies, bonds or security documents,
is punishable with rigorous imprisonment not exceeding fifteen years.
Article 360.- Presumption of Intent to Utter.
In respect of the crimes specified under Articles 356- 359, the acts shall be presumed to have been done with the intent to utter.
Article 361.- Uttering.
(1) Whoever intentionally:
(a) utters as genuine or as having greater value than their current value, in Ethiopia or aboard, counterfeit or forged currencies, bonds or security documents, is punishable with rigorous imprisonment not exceeding ten years.
(b) utters debased currencies at their full value, is punishable with simple imprisonment not exceeding five years or fine.
(2) Where the criminal has received the currencies, bonds or security documents as genuine, or against payment of their current value, and having discovered their falseness or debasement, has returned them to circulation only in order to avoid loss, the punishment shall be:
(a) simple imprisonment in the case of counterfeit or forged currencies, bonds or security documents; or
(b) fine in the case of debased currencies.
Article 362.- Petty Cases.
In petty cases, where small sums only are involved, the punishment in respect of the crimes specified under Articles 356-361 shall be simple imprisonment.
