Nigerian cross-dresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, has claimed that he paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to obtain a Federal Government pardon following money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
This claim was revealed in a voice note shared by social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, in a video posted on Monday, October 7, 2024.
According to VeryDarkMan, the conversation between Bobrisky and an undisclosed individual was recorded on May 16, 2024.
Bobrisky stated that although the SAN had initially demanded N10 million to secure the pardon, he was only able to provide half the amount due to his frozen bank account.
“The SAN asked for N10 million, which I could have transferred, but my account is frozen. My godfather gave me N5 million, and we sent it to the SAN two weeks ago. He has already submitted the pardon request,” Bobrisky said in the voice recording.
The cross-dresser explained that his godfather had intervened, not only by helping with the payment but also by arranging for him to avoid serving time in a prison facility.
“Truth be told, I won’t lie to you. I’m not in prison, but I’m around there. They got me an apartment because of my godfather,” Bobrisky disclosed, adding that a Deputy Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service was involved in organizing the arrangement.
“They were worried about putting me in a male facility due to the risk of harassment, so they arranged for me to stay nearby, as long as I don’t post or say anything,” Bobrisky explained.
The social media star further mentioned that his godfather, with the support of the Deputy Controller, ensured that he could remain in a private residence rather than face potential harassment in a prison.
Regarding his release, Bobrisky said efforts were underway to secure an early release through a presidential amnesty, which could see him leave by the first week of next month, ahead of his scheduled sentence completion in July.
This revelation comes after previous claims by Bobrisky that EFCC officials had extorted N15 million from him in exchange for dropping the charges.
