Actress Sentenced to 6 Months For Mishandling New Naira Notes

An actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, has been sentenced to six months in prison by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The conviction on Thursday, February 1, 2024, came after Omoseyin was found guilty of spraying and stepping on new Naira notes at a social event in Lagos, an act that contravenes the Central Bank of Nigeria’s regulations.

Initially pleading “not guilty” to the two-count following her arraignment by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 13, 2023, Omoseyin later changed her plea in light of compelling evidence against her. She had been granted bail since February 15, 2023.

The charges against Omoseyin detailed her actions on January 28, 2023, at the Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, where she was filmed dancing and disrespectfully handling a sum of N100,000 in Naira notes, behaviour deemed punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.

Upon her guilty plea, the prosecution, led by counsel Z.B. Atiku, presented EFCC operative Abubakar Mohammed Marafa to recount the facts of the case. Marafa explained that the defendant was initially apprehended by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 1, 2023, before being transferred to the EFCC for further investigation. Investigations revealed videos on Omoseyin’s phone and footage from the event centre, clearly showing her actions.

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Alongside the oral testimony, the prosecution tendered several pieces of evidence, including the ICPC letter, the defendant’s statement, forensic report of her phone, and videos of the event, which Justice Aneke accepted as exhibits.

In her defense, counsel Afuye Adegbola pleaded for leniency, citing Omoseyin’s status as a first-time offender, a mother of one, and her expressed remorse. Adegbola requested a non-custodial sentence.

However, Justice Aneke imposed a six-month prison sentence, effective immediately, with the option of a N300,000 fine payable to the federation’s consolidated revenue account.

The arrest and subsequent conviction of Omoseyin stemmed from a viral video showcasing her misuse of the newly redesigned Naira notes at a party, where she was also seen flaunting the currency. Omoseyin claimed the money was given to her by fans, and she was unaware of the identities of the contributors.

At the time of her arrest on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, authorities recovered a Range Rover among her possessions, highlighting the case’s seriousness and the ongoing efforts to uphold the sanctity of the nation’s currency.