Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, April 25, 2025, ordered the remand of musician Terry Alexander Ejeh, popularly known as Terry Apala, at a Correctional Centre over allegations of Naira note mutilation.
Ejeh was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge related to the alleged offence
According to the charge, “You, TERRY ALEXANDER EJEH, on the 5th day of January, 2025, at La Madison Place, Oniru, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing at a social event, tampered with Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by trampling on them, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”
Upon the reading of the charge, Ejeh pleaded not guilty.
After the defendant’s plea, prosecution counsel S.I. Suleiman requested a trial date and sought to have the defendant remanded in custody until the trial.
In the meantime, Felix Nwabuda, representing the defence, informed the court about a pending bail application from April 23, 2025. He asked for a brief adjournment to facilitate its hearing.
„Während ich das Gericht um einen kurzfristigen Termin für die Verhandlung des Haftantrags bitte, werde ich zugleich um dessen Nachsicht bitten, den Angeklagten in die Obhut der Verteidigung zu entlassen.“
“We commit to bringing him to court. He will not escape hearing. On April 23, 2025, he arrived from the United Kingdom; and at the EFCC’s invitation, he came voluntarily.
Nevertheless, the prosecution counsel opposed the application, stating, “the application is alien and unheard of.”
He stated, “I urge the court to give us the chance to review the application and respond appropriately, allowing for a well-informed ruling.”
Justice Aluko dismissed the defence’s application in a brief ruling and scheduled the bail application hearing for May 5, 2025.
The judge ordered the defendant to be held at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre while waiting for the bail proceedings to conclude.
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