A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday admitted a Nollywood actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin (also known as Simi Gold by her fans) charged with alleged tampering and spraying of the redesigned Naira notes to N5million bail.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred two counts charge against Omoseyin, who was arraigned on Monday, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The charge bothered on spraying and stepping on the newly designed naira notes.
The defendant, 31, was alleged to have tampered with N100,000 new notes, by spraying and stepping on same during an occasion in the Lekki area of Lagos
Simi Gold, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In his rulling on wednesday, justice Aneke admitted the defendant to bail and one surety in like sum.
The court held that the surety must be a public servant, and must have a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
The surety is also to produce three years tax clearance.
In addition, the defendant was ordered to deposit her international passport with the court’s registrar.
He adjourned the case until April 3 for trial .
According to the charge, the defendant was alleged to have committed the offence on Jan. 28 at the monarch event centre in lekki.
The prosecutor, Mr S.I Sulaiman alleged that the defendant engaged in spraying and trampling on the newly designed naira notes, while dancing at an occasion.
The offence contravenes the provisions of section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.
BRANDPOWER recalls that the defendant was arrested after a video of her spraying and stepping on the new notes at a party went viral .
In her first appearance, the judge ordered Oluwadarasimi to be remanded at the female section of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) Kirikiri facility till Wednesday , February 15, when her bail application would be heard and determined.
Charges against the defendant read: “that you Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin on the 28th day of January 2023 at Monarch event centre, Lekki within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social occasion tampered with the sum of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21 (1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offences when the charges were read to her.
In view of her plea, the prosecution counsel, S. I. Sulaiman asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in the appropriate correctional facility.
Responding, counsel to the defendant, Adenike Goncalves prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail pending the hearing and determination of the case. She also prayed that her client be remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of the bail terms if so granted by the court.
Justice Aneke however, deferred ruling on the bail application to Wednesday, February 15, and ordered the remand of the defendant in the Kirikiri correctional facility
It would be recalled that the actress, Oluwadarasimi, was arrested by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Fraud Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Wednesday, February 1, along Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, and was handed over to the EFCC for investigation.
The 31-year-old was arrested after the video of her spraying and stepping on the newly redesigned Naira notes at a party surfaced online.
