In a landmark ruling, a Federal High Court in Lagos State has handed down a six-month prison sentence to Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, for the abuse of the Nigerian currency, the Naira. The court, presided over by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, delivered the verdict on Friday, denying the cross dresser an option of a fine.
Bobrisky’s conviction stems from charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused him of Naira mutilation and money laundering. The court found him guilty on April 5, following his admission of guilt, but postponed sentencing until April 9 due to public holidays declared by the Federal Government.
Justice Awogboro ruled that Bobrisky would serve his six-month prison term starting from the date of his arrest. Immediately after sentencing, the EFCC took him into custody.
The EFCC’s case against Bobrisky centered on events that occurred on March 24 at Circle Mall, Jakande, Lekki, Lagos State. It was alleged that Bobrisky tampered with a total of N400,000 during a social event by spraying the money. Similar incidents of money spraying, totaling N20,000 and N50,000, were reported at various events in 2022 and 2023.
Following the court’s decision, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) confirmed that Bobrisky would be housed in the male section of its facility. Despite public debate over the severity of his sentence, the NCoS emphasized that Bobrisky’s placement in the male section aligns with his self-identified gender presented during court proceedings.
Addressing concerns about Bobrisky’s safety, particularly related to his gender identity, correctional service officials assured that measures would be in place to protect him from potential harm.