The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a conviction against one Okoli Frank Emeka, who was sentenced to six months imprisonment for tampering with Nigerian currency.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, according to the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Friday.

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC arraigned Emeka on a one-count charge bordering on the mutilation and abuse of the naira, an offence contrary to Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007. The specific incident occurred on August 18, 2024, at Al-moruf Garden, Isheri Olofin, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

According to the charge sheet, the convict was found guilty of tampering with the sum of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) during a social gathering. The charge reads:

“That you, Okoli Frank Emeka, on the 18th day of August, 2024, at Al-moruf Garden, Isheri Olofin, Alimosho Local area of Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst matching on the Naira notes during a social occasion, tampered with the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, by matching on the same at the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

Emeka pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him in court.

The prosecution, led by EFCC counsel Z.B. Atiku, then proceeded to present a summary of the case and called Sa’id Sada Sani, an EFCC investigative officer, to provide evidence.

Sani detailed the events leading to the arrest and conviction of Emeka. “The Commission generated an intelligence-driven investigation on a trending video in relation to naira mutilation,” he told the court.

He further explained that “A surveillance was carried out, leading to the arrest of the defendant on May 15, 2025. He was shown a video of him spraying the money and he made a statement regarding it.”

The prosecution tendered both the extrajudicial statement of the defendant and the video evidence in court. These exhibits were admitted by Justice Aneke as valid evidence in the case.

Following the presentation of evidence, Atiku urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with the provisions of the law.

“We pray the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly,” Atiku submitted.

In his ruling, Justice Aneke found Emeka guilty and sentenced him to six months imprisonment.

However, the court offered an alternative of a fine in the sum of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

The EFCC reiterated its commitment to enforcing financial discipline and protecting the integrity of the Nigerian currency.

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