Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, a Nigerian actress, has been given a six-month prison sentence for tampering with currency after a video emerged of her spraying and stepping on newly issued naira notes last year.
Omoseyin was arrested in February in Lagos after the footage of her at a party surfaced online, where she was seen flaunting the redesigned money.
Initially pleading not guilty, Omoseyin changed her plea to guilty, citing overwhelming evidence against her during her court appearance.
She was filmed with 100,000-naira worth of notes while dancing at a friend’s wedding in Lekki, Lagos, according to the country’s anti-fraud agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Omoseyin admitted to receiving the new naira notes from her fans at the party, claiming she did not know the individuals who gave her the money.
Despite her plea for leniency as a first-time offender and a mother of one, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke sentenced her to six months in prison, with the option to pay a $250 fine.
The incident occurred amidst a naira cash scarcity following the controversial withdrawal of old banknotes from circulation.
Last November, the country’s central bank announced that the old banknotes would remain legal tender, ending months of uncertainty.
Source-BBC
