By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has convicted two social media influencers, Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh, for abusing Nigeria’s currency by trampling on naira notes.
Justice Uche Agomoh delivered the judgment on Wednesday following their arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The duo was prosecuted on a one-count charge bordering on currency mutilation.
According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, 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 trample 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 defendants pleaded guilty to the charge. Prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, presented evidence and urged the court to convict them accordingly.
The defence counsel, O.D. Ajadi, pleaded for leniency, noting that the defendants were first-time offenders and had shown remorse.
The EFCC stated that the convicts were arrested after they filmed themselves spraying and trampling on naira notes and posted the video on TikTok.
Justice Agomoh convicted the duo and imposed an option of fine-ordering each to pay ₦50,000 in lieu of further sentencing.