Kano, Nigeria — A Federal High Court in Kano has convicted and sentenced a well-known Kannywood actress to six months’ imprisonment for mutilating the Nigerian currency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Friday.
Justice S.M. Shuaibu presided over the case and delivered the judgment after the actress, Saadatu Mohammed Inuwa, popularly known as Samha, pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of tampering with a ₦1,000 note, an offence prohibited under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.
According to court documents and a statement shared by the EFCC, the offence occurred in 2022 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, where she was accused of soiling the naira note with her nose — an act deemed unlawful under Nigerian currency law.
During proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, Musa Isah, presented the facts of the case and urged the court to apply the appropriate penalties under the law. Inuwa appealed for leniency, informing the court she was a first-time offender and expressing remorse for her actions.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Shuaibu convicted the actress and sentenced her to six months’ imprisonment, with an option to pay a fine of ₦200,000 instead of serving the jailed term.
The case highlights the strict enforcement of laws against currency mutilation in Nigeria, which officials say is vital to protecting the integrity and value of the naira.
