A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has sentenced a popular make-up artist, Abdullahi Musa Huseini, also known as Amuscap, to six months imprisonment for abusing and mutilating the Nigerian currency, the Naira.
Justice S.M. Shuaibu delivered the ruling on Monday after the convict pleaded guilty to a one-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the charge, Huseini, on December 6, 2024, at Ali Jita Event Centre in Kano, allegedly tampered with the sum of N100,000 by spraying at his wedding ceremony.
In a to a statement by the anti-graft agency, the act carried out using N1,000 denomination notes, was deemed a violation of Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007, which prohibits abuse and mutilation of the Naira.
However, during the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Zarami Mohammed, presented the facts of the case and tendered evidence to support the charge. Upon review, Justice Shuaibu found the defendant guilty and sentenced him accordingly.
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The statement said, “Upon arraignment, Huseini pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, Zarami Mohammed, to present the facts of the case and tender evidence before the court.”
Meanwhile, Justice Shuaibu found the make-up artist guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.
The charge reads: “That you, Abdullahi Musa Huseini, on the 6th day of December, 2024, at Ali Jita Event Centre, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) in 1000 notes denomination issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007″.
“Upon arraignment, Huseini pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, Zarami Mohammed, to present the facts of the case and tender evidence before the court.
“Delivering judgment, Justice Shuaibu found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.
“The convict was arrested following credible intelligence on his involvement in the deliberate mutilation of the Nigerian currency by spraying it at his own wedding celebration. Investigations revealed that Huseini willfully defaced and abused the Naira notes in defiance of warning and campaigns against the practice by the EFCC,” the statement partly reads.
