Crossdresser Bobrisky to Serve in Male Prison
Bobrisky was sentenced to six months imprisonment over the mutilation of the Naira notes
Crossdresser Bobrisky to Serve in Male Prison
Nigerian crossdresser and socialite Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on Friday identified himself as a man during his appearance at the Federal High Court in Lagos State.
On several occasions, Bobrisky, who was born male, had identified himself as a woman, saying he had undergone a sex change.
He will likely serve his six months imprisonment in a male prison despite having changed his identity to a woman.
According to earlier reports, Justice Abimbola Awogboro sentenced Bobrisky to six months imprisonment without the option of a fine for abusing the Naira.
However, when the judge asked about his gender in court, the socialite replied that he is a man.
“Are you a man or a woman?” the judge asked, to which Bobrisky replied, “I am a man.”
Justice Abimbola Awogboro later sentenced Bobrisky to six months imprisonment over the mutilation of the naira notes.
Bobrisky was arraigned on Friday, April 5, 2024, on four counts bordering on mutilation of the Naira notes to the tune of N490,000,00 (Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira).
Count one reads: “That you, OKUNEYE IDRIS OLANREWAJU, on the 24th day of March, 2024, at Imax Circle Mal, Jakande, Lekki, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with the total sum of N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
Bobrisky pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
At the last sitting, the prosecution counsel, S.I. Sulaiman, urged the court to allow the investigating officer, ASE I Bolaji Temitope Aje, to give a brief review of the facts against him.
Aje narrated to the court that the EFCC received intelligence on some individuals, who are in the habit of mutilating and spraying the Naira notes at social parties and event centres in Lagos.
Crossdresser Bobrisky to Serve in Male Prison
According to him, “Based on intelligence, the EFCC set up the Special Operations Team to observe and monitor activities of individuals, who are involved in the habit of mutilating the Naira.
“The team visited many event centres and monitored social media pages, where the Naira was being abused. During the course of the monitoring, the team came across videos on social media, where the defendant was seen abusing the Naira. The team then proceeded to download these videos via our office laptop computers and also went further to copy these videos on compact discs”.
“In the light of the foregoing, a letter of invitation was written and forwarded to the defendant.
“The defendant honoured the invitation. When he got to our office, he was voluntarily cautioned. Thereafter, he volunteered to write his statement”.
“The defendant was shown a video, where he was spraying money on an artiste called Segun Johnson. The defendant confessed that he was the one in the video. He was also shown a video at IMAX Circle Mall, where he sprayed a total sum of N400,000 at a movie premiere. The defendant also admitted that he was the one in the video and that he carried out the abuse”.
“The defendant was also shown two other videos of him spraying the Naira at Aja junction, Ikorodu, and White Stone Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
“The defendant admitted to spraying money in these videos. He was, therefore, served with a bail condition.”
Consequently, Sulaiman then prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
In his plea for mercy, Bobrisky said: “I am a social media influencer, with five million followers; and in all honesty, I was not aware of the law. I wish I can be given a second chance to use my platform to educate my followers against the abuse of the Naira.”
Also, Bobrisky’s lawyer had said:
“He will lead the crusade against the abuse of Naira. He is also an employer of people; and if he goes to jail, the people he employs will suffer. He has cooperated with the EFCC and has not wasted the time of the court. We urge the court to caution the defendant and allow him to go. He has given evidence that he will be useful to the country. We urge you to grant a non-custodial sentencing option of fine.”
After listening to both parties, the Judge had deferred judgment in the matter to Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and also ordered that he be remanded in the EFCC custody.
