Cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, better known by his stage name Bobrisky, was on Friday sentenced to six months in prison without the possibility of a fine by Federal High Court Judge Abimbola Awogboro in Lagos.
It would be recalled that Bobrisky was charged on six counts, including money laundering and abuse of the Naira, by the EFCC on April 5.
The court dropped the money laundering allegations against him but found him guilty of Naira abuse.
The court also ruled that he be kept in the custody of the EFCC in Lagos.
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 Bobrisky about his sex, and he quickly replied that he is a man.
He was subsequently sentenced to serve his jail term at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
The judge in her ruling held that the jail term would commence on March 24, 2024, the day of his arrest.
The court had on April 5, convicted him after he pleaded guilty to a 4 counts charge of abuse of the naira, made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge adjourned to last Thursday for sentencing, but the Federal Government declared the day a public holiday for the Eid-El-Fitri celebration.
The counts against him read: “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.”
