16th March, 2024
A Lagos woman, Bose Lateef arrested by EFCC operatives while hawking naira notes at the popular Eko Club in the Surulere area of the state has been jailed after she pleaded guilty to an offence bordering on money racketeering.
She was arraigned by the EFCC on a one-count charge bordering on Naira Racketeering under Section 21(4) of the CBN Act.
The count reads: “That you, BOSE LATEEF on or about the 16th of day of February, 2024 al Eko Club, Surulere, in Lages within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court hawked the sum of N269,000.00 (Two Hundred and Sixty Nine Thousand Naira), in N500 (Five Hundred Naira) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary lo 21(4) and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act. 2007.”
Olagunjo Abdulmalik, an operative of the EFCC while reviewing the facts of the case before Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos said Lateef was arrested on February 15, 2024, while hawking Naira notes at Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission.
Speaking further, he said the sum of N507,500 (Five Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five hundred Naira) was recovered from her at the point of arrest.
“Upon her arrest by operatives, she was duly cautioned and the defendant volunteered her statement, in which she confessed that she was into money racketeering and hawking of Naira notes,” he said.
The EFCC operative thereafter, sought to tender, in evidence, the defendant’s statements, and the N507,500( Five Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five hundred Naira) recovered.
She pleaded “guilty” to the charge preferred against her.
Justice Dipeolu admitted and marked them as exhibits against her and thereafter, declared her guilty as charged.
Defence counsel, Kolapo Gbadamosi, prayed the court for leniency.
“The money found in her possession was a loan she took from a cooperative society,” he said.
He prayed the court to “please give her the money so she can return to the owner and forgive her as she is a first-time offender and is sorry for her actions”.
Justice Dipeolu sentenced her to one month imprisonment to commence from the day of her arrest by the EFCC. The court also ordered the sum of N507,500 cash should be returned to her.