Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has convicted two social media influencers, Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh, for abusing naira notes.
This was contained in a statement released by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday.
According to the statement, ‘The convicts were prosecuted on a joint one-count charge that bordered on currency mutilation by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.’
The both convicts were arrested and prosecuted after they made a video of themselves, spraying and trampling on Naira notes and posting it on TikTok.
The charge read, ‘That you Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh on or about the 25th day of September, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did match on 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.’
They pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charge was read to them.
Following the plea, prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, tendered incriminating evidence and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
The defence counsel, O.D. Ajadi told the court to be linient with his clients, stating that they are first offenders and have become remorseful of their actions.
Agomoh convicted ‘both offenders without a sentence and gave them N50,000 option of fine each.’