By Magnus Livinus
Controversial cross-dresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, a.k.a Bobrisky, who had before his current predicament left his alleged five million Instagram followers confused at to his real gender, has been assured that he would be protected from sexual violation at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre as he begins his six-month tenancy in the place.
Weird Bobrisky, who openly confessed that he was a man before his sentencing on Friday, was handed six months imprisonment without an option of fine for abusing the Nigerian currency, the Naira.
Handing the apparently confused cross-dresser the penalty, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had declared that the judgment would serve as a deterrence to others who take delight in disrespecting, abusing and mutilating the national currency.
However, a little drama played out as Justice Awogboro asked Bobrisky about his true gender, to which he promptly replied that he was a man.
The Judge subsequently sentenced him to a six-month jail term at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
However, the jail term would start from March 24, 2024, the day of Bobrisky’s arrest.
Bobrisky’s affirmation of his masculine gender in the open court helped prison officials to determine which part of the prison to put him-Male or Female Section.
Not only that, they, according to reports, also allayed his fear of possible sexual assault by his co-prisoners on account of his much advertised ‘femininity’.
According to reports, the correctional facility’s officials reportedly assured him of him of “round-the-clock” protection.
Recall that the court had, on April 5, convicted the controversial cross-dresser after he pleaded guilty to a 4-count charge of abuse of the naira, levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The anti-graft agency had earlier dropped the charge of money laundering earlier proffered against Okuneye, a.k.a Bobrisky.
Then, Justice Awogboro adjourned to Thursday for sentencing, but that was scuttled by the Federal Government which declared the day as public holiday for the Eid-El-Fitri celebration.
The counts against Bobrisky are: “That you, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, on the 24th day of March 2024, at Imax Circle Mall, 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.
“That you, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, between July and August 2023 at Aja Junction, lkorodu, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) 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.
“That you, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, sometimes in December 2023 at White Steve Event Hall, Ikeja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum N20,000.00 (twenty thousand naira) 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.
“That you, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, sometimes in 2022 at Event Hall, Oniru, Victory Island, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum N20,000.00 (twenty thousand naira) 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.”
