Justice Uche Agomoh of the High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has convicted two social media influencers, Bukola Arike Rufai and Abdulateef Ayinde Jimoh, for Naira abuse.
The duo was arraigned on a joint one-count charge related to currency mutilation by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday.
The charge reads, “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 march 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.”
The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Tuesday, July 1, said the suspects pleaded “guilty” when the charge was read to them, following which the prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, reviewed the facts of the case, tendered incriminating evidence, and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel, O.D. Ajadi, told the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the duo are first offenders and have become remorseful of their actions.
Justice Agomoh convicted both offenders without a sentence and gave them the option of a N50,000 fine each.
Both convicts paved their way for arrest and prosecution when they made a video of themselves spraying and trampling on Naira notes and posted it on TikTok.
