A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has convicted and sentenced 12 persons for abusing the naira by spraying the currency at a party, while also ordering the forfeiture of seven luxury vehicles recovered from convicted internet fraudsters to the Federal Government.
A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said the convictions were secured by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa.
The convicts are Abimbola Dolapo, Ufuoma Okotie, Samuel Kingsley, Rasaki Ayomide, Ekpmamuku Oghenekewvwe, Abraham Eriata, Favour Onowighose, Karaki Emmanuel Ejioghene, Simeon Sabastine, Valentine Chikeze, Omoyibo Destiny Prince and Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen.
According to the EFCC, the defendants were prosecuted for tampering with the naira by spraying the currency while dancing at a party, an offence contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.
One of the charges, filed against Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen, read:
“That you Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen (m) on or about January 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing at a birthday party tampered with the sum of N20,000,00 (twenty thousand Naira) in N200 (two hundred naira) denomination issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act,2007 and punishable under Section 21(1) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Counsel to the defendants, however, pleaded for leniency, telling the court that the convicts were remorseful and asking that justice be tempered with mercy.
In his judgment, Justice Nganjiwa sentenced Abimbola Dolapo, Ufuoma Okotie, Samuel Kingsley, Rasaki Ayomide, Ekpmamuku Oghenekewvwe, Abraham Eriata, Favour Onowighose, Karaki Emmanuel Ejioghene, Simeon Sabastine, Valentine Chikeze and Omoyibo Destiny Prince to six months imprisonment or an option of a N150,000 fine each.
Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen was sentenced to six months imprisonment or an option of a N200,000 fine.
The court also noted that all 12 convicts signed written undertakings to be of good conduct going forward.
In a related development, Justice Nganjiwa on Friday, July 17, 2026, ordered the forfeiture of seven luxury vehicles to the Federal Government.
The EFCC said the vehicles were recovered as proceeds of crime from convicted internet fraudsters.
The forfeited vehicles include a Mercedes Benz GLK with registration number LSD 412 KJ, a Lexus RX 330 with registration number WWR 640 NG, a Mercedes Benz ML with registration number TAB 211 DZ, a Lexus ES 350 with registration number KUJ 125 DB, a Mercedes Benz GLK with registration number BDG 668 JT, a Mercedes Benz GLC with registration number KSF 8867 KM, and another Mercedes Benz GLK with registration number KSF 871 KM.