A Federal High Court in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, has sentenced Etiusen Stephen to jail for spraying naira notes.
Stephen, who was arraigned on July 19, 2024, was sentenced to jail after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of naira abuse levelled against him by the Akwa Ibom State Zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
According to a statement posted on X.com on Wednesday, Stephen was arrested on June 27, 2024, at the Shelter Afrique area of Akwa Ibom State, alongside ten others, while partying at Ken’s Court Luxury Apartments, where he was caught spraying naira notes and carelessly stepping on them while dancing.
The statement read, “That you Etiusen Stephen Udo on or about 27th June 2024 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did sell Forty Thousand Naira notes Only to one Edidiong Usoro and thereby Committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act’.”
Given his plea, prosecution counsel Joshua Abolarin prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly and order the permanent forfeiture of the cash recovered from him to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
However, defence counsel Udeme Tom prayed the court to give a lighter sentence, stressing that the defendant was remorseful and a first-time offender.
Delivering judgement, Justice M.A.Oyetenu, convicted Stephen on a two-count charge of naira abuse citing Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act and ordered the forfeiture of the N40,000 recovered from him to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In another story, the Federal High Court and State High Court sitting in Kaduna convicted and sentenced four persons, Anthony Chukwu, Madaki Ismail, Samson Aliyu and Christopher Israel, to various jail terms for internet fraud on Wednesday.
According to a statement released by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the convicts were prosecuted on one-count separate charges, bordering on impersonation, obtaining by pretence and money laundering citing Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) 2022 and Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.
When the charges were read to the accused by prosecution counsel Matiyak and Argungu, they all pleaded guilty. The prosecution counsel urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Delivering judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Aikawa, of the Federal High Court, convicted and sentenced Chukwu to five years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.00 while Ismail bagged five years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.00.
It was reported that, in addition, both convicts forfeited the sums of N520,000.00 and $310, respectively, as proceeds of their crimes to the federal government, as well as an iPhone XR and Samsung S21 mobile phones as instruments of their crimes.
Similarly, Justice Darius Khobo of the State High Court convicted and sentenced Aliyu to three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 and sentenced Israel to three years imprisonment or a fine of N250,000.00.
Justice Khobo also ordered Aliyu to forfeit $50, the proceeds of his crime, to the federal government, while both forfeited their phones, the instruments of their crimes, to the federal government.
It was reported that Chukwu, Aliyu, and Israel were arrested in Kaduna, while Ismail was arrested in Jos following credible intelligence on their fraudulent internet activities.
