Olayiwola Matthew
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 disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
The statement reads, “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 charge stated, “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 both pleaded “guilty” to the charge. Following this, the prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, presented the facts of the case, tendered evidence, and urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. The defence counsel, O.D. Ajadi, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, noting that the defendants are first-time offenders who have shown remorse.
Justice Agomoh convicted “both offenders without a sentence and gave them N50,000 option of fine each.”
The statement further explained that the convicts exposed themselves to arrest and prosecution after making a video of themselves spraying and trampling on Naira notes, which they posted on TikTok.