Naira Abuse: Court Jails Actress Simi Gold

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Lagos Federal High Court, has convicted and sentenced an Nollywood actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, 32, to six months imprisonment for abusing Nigeria currency, Naira.

Justice Aneke handed down the judgment on the actress after she changed plea to the two counts charge of tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 and spraying same in a social event.

It would be recall that the convicted actress popularly called Simi Gold, was arrested by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Fraud Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 1, 2023 along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where she was spreading 1000 denomination Naira note at a party, when the nation was faced with currency scarcity.

Following her arrest by the ICPC, she was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which later charged her on a two count-charge before the court on tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 and spraying same in a social event, sometimes in February 2023.

The offences she pleaded not guilty to, and she was subsequently admitted to bail in some terms and conditions.

However, at the resumed hearing of the charges against her on Thursday, the actress notified the court of her intention to change her plea.

Consequently, the judge ordered that the charge be read to her so that her new plea can be taken.

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Upon the re-reading of the charges to the convicted actress, she admitted commiting the offences and pleaded guilty to the charges.

With her guilty plea, the court called on the prosecutor, Zainab Bala Atiku, to review the facts of the charge, which she did as well tendered some exhibits, which were admitted by the court.

The prosecutor after reviewing the facts of the charge and rendering the exhibits, urged the court to convict and sentence her in accordance with the sections of the acts she was charged with.

But lawyer to the actress, Mr. A. O. Afuye, in his allucutor, among others, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client. Adding that the court should consider her change of plea and a sign of remorsefulness. And being a first term offender, who did not have any previous conviction record.

Justice Aneke, in his judgment after listening to the counsel’s submissions, sentence the actress to six months imprisonment.

The judge however ordered her to pay the sum of N300, 000, 00, in lieu of the jail-term.

Charges Against the Convicted Actress reads: “That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin on the 28th day of January, 2023 at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 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.

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“That you, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin on the 28th day of January, 2023 at Monarch Event Centre, Lekki within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by dancing on 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.”