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 spraying and mutilating the naira during his wedding.

Justice S.M. Shuaibu delivered the judgment after Huseini pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of naira abuse, in violation of Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.

According to the charge sheet, the incident took place on December 6, 2024, at the Ali Jita Event Centre in Kano, where the convict was captured on video spraying N100,000 in N1,000 denomination notes while dancing.

“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 of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) in 1,000 naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same at the said occasion,” the charge read.

Prosecution counsel, Zarami Mohammed, presented the facts of the case and submitted video evidence in court. Upon reviewing the evidence and Huseini’s plea, Justice Shuaibu found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to six months in prison without an option of fine.

The conviction followed the arrest of Huseini by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which acted on credible intelligence. The commission’s investigation confirmed that the act was deliberate, despite ongoing public awareness campaigns warning against currency mutilation.

The EFCC has consistently warned the public against defacing or mishandling the naira, particularly during social events, labelling such practices as acts of economic sabotage. (Daily Trust)