I’m a man, Bobrisky tells court, as he bags 6-month jail term for naira abuse

By Lukman Olabiyi

Controversial cross-dresser, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky has been sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine for abusing the Nigerian currency – naira

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in her sentence, said the judgment will serve as a deterrent to others who are fond of abusing and mutilating the naira.

Before the sentence, the judge asked about his gender, and he quickly replied that he was a man.

When the judge asked, “Are you a man or a woman?” Bobrisky responded: “I am a man.”

The judge ruled that the jail term commenced on March 24, 2024, the day of his arrest.

On April 5, the court had convicted Bobrisky after he pleaded guilty to the charge of abusing the naira filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The judge therefore postponed the sentencing to Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

However, the day was declared a public holiday by the Federal Government for the Eid-el-Fitr celebration. Bobrisky had last Friday, after his conviction, pleaded with the court to give him a lesser punishment as he was not aware of the law of abusing the naira. In his allocutus, he begged the court that he was not aware of the law of abusing the naira. He said that he is a social media influencer with over five million followers. The judge then told him that ignorance of the law was not an excuse. He said, “I know, my Lord. My Lord, I wish that you could give me a second chance to use my platform to inform and educate my followers about spraying money

“I would do a video on my page, and I would educate people about spraying money. I will not repeat it, my Lord. I regret my actions, my Lord.” He was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on mutilation of the Naira notes to the tune of N490, 000, 00.

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 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.”

Another count reads: “That you, OKUNEYE IDRIS OLANREWAJU, between July and August, 2023 at Aja Junction, Ikorodu, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with the sum of N50,000.00 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.”