Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has convicted two social media influencers, Bukola Arike Rufai and Abdulateef Ayinde Jimoh, for abusing naira notes.
The duo were prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a joint one-count charge bordering on currency mutilation.
According to the charge, “That you Bukola Arike Rufai and Abdulateef Ayinde Jimoh on or about the 25th day of September, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did mishandle Naira Notes, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 21 (3) of the Central Bank Act 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act.”
In a statement signed by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, both defendants pleaded guilty to the charge. Following their plea, the prosecuting counsel, Lanre Suleiman, reviewed the facts of the case and presented evidence, including a video showing the convicts spraying and stepping on naira notes.
He urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, defence counsel O. D. Ajadi pleaded for leniency, stating that the convicts were first-time offenders who had shown remorse for their actions.
Justice Agomoh convicted the defendants and, in lieu of a custodial sentence, gave them the option of paying a fine of N50,000 each.