Hon Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has convicted and sentenced one Agbanashi Young to six months imprisonment for abusing the naira.
The conviction, delivered on Wednesday, March 19, 2026, followed a one-count charge bordering on spraying and trampling on naira notes, in violation of Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007.
The charge read:“That you Agbanashi Young (m) on or about the 10th of November, 2023 at Akari Etiti Community in Ndokwa East L.G.A of Delta State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while dancing during a cultural event called ‘Afor Day’ tempered with total sum of N10,000.00 (Ten Thousand Naira) in the denomination of N200 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying and matching on same and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(3) of the Central Bank Act 2007 and punishable under Section 21(1) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read in court. Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo, urged the court to convict and sentence him accordingly, while the defence counsel appealed for leniency, noting that the defendant had shown remorse.
In her ruling, Justice Olubanjo sentenced Young to six months imprisonment, with an option of a N500,000 fine.
The court also ordered the defendant to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour going forward.
Young was arrested by operatives of the anti-graft agency for spraying and abusing naira notes at a public event before being charged to court and subsequently convicted.
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