Nollywood Actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison for Spraying and Stepping on New Naira Notes
Actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin was convicted by the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday for spraying and stepping on new Naira notes at a friend’s wedding in Lagos.
The trial judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, imposed a six-month imprisonment sentence on her, with an alternative option of a N300,000 fine, as stated by Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media & Publicity for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the prosecuting agency.
Omoseyin’s arrest took place on February 1, 2023, following the circulation of a viral video showing her engaging in the act at a wedding in Lekki, Lagos State, on January 28, 2023. This occurred during a period of Naira notes scarcity due to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) withdrawing old 200, 500, and 1000 Naira notes and replacing them with newly designed versions, which were challenging to obtain.
Initially arraigned on February 13, 2023, on two counts of violating the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 2007 regarding the handling of Naira notes, Omoseyin had pleaded “not guilty” and was granted bail on February 15, 2023. Also read If my husband engages in infidelity, I will react by being unfaithful too – Actress Laide Bakare
If my husband engages in infidelity, I will react by being unfaithful too – Actress Laide Bakare
However, during the recent hearing, Omoseyin changed her plea to “guilty” after reviewing the evidence against her. The prosecuting counsel, Z.B. Atiku, then called on EFCC operative Abubakar Mohammed Marafa to present the facts, noting that Omoseyin was initially arrested by officers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 1, 2023, and later handed over to the EFCC on February 2, 2023, for further investigation.
He stated that the defendant’s statement was recorded under caution, confirming her attendance at a friend’s wedding on January 28, 2023. During the occasion, she admitted to spraying N200 and N100 Naira notes. Mr. Marafa reported that the defendant’s phone contained videos of the money-spraying act, and further investigations involved inviting the event center’s management. They provided video footage of the incident.
The prosecuting counsel then sought to present evidence, including a letter from the ICPC, the defendant’s extrajudicial statement, a forensic report of her phone, a CD with videos of the money-spraying, and a flash drive from the event center, along with the center’s representative’s statement. The judge, Mr. Aneke, admitted these as exhibits and subsequently convicted the defendant as charged.
During the plea for leniency, the defense counsel, Afuye Adegbola, highlighted that the defendant was a first-time offender, a mother of one, and expressed remorse, pleading for mercy. He also requested a non-custodial sentence.
In delivering the judgment, Mr. Aneke sentenced the defendant to six months’ imprisonment, effective immediately, with an alternative option of a N300,000 fine to be paid into the consolidated revenue account of the federation.
Ms. Omoseyin’s arrest by ICPC operatives on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, followed the online circulation of a video where she was seen spraying and stepping on the newly redesigned Naira notes at a party. In her statement to the EFCC, she claimed to have received the new Naira notes from her fans at the party, asserting ignorance about the individuals who gave her the money. The items recovered at her arrest included a Range Rover.
She faced two charges, one of tampering with N100,000 cash at a wedding at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, on January 28, 2023, by spraying currency notes, violating and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.
The court’s indictment stated: “That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, on the 28th day of January, 2023, at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same in the said occasion, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
The practice of spraying Naira notes at social events is widespread in Nigeria, particularly in the South-west and other southern states. Despite legal provisions against such actions, enforcement actions by relevant security agencies are infrequent. An example is a recent viral video where a traditional ruler draped knitted N1000 notes like a long piece of jewelry around popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal’s neck at an event celebrating the king’s wife’s birthday, with no reported arrests at or after the event.