The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Friday used controversial crossdresser, Idris Olarewaju Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, to deter abusers of the Naira currency, sentencing him to six months imprisonment without the option.
Bobrisky had been arrested on March 24, 2024 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly abusing the naira.
This came barely a month after he stole the show at the Lagos premier of ‘’Ajanaku: Beast of Two Worlds’’ on March 25 and walked away with the fashion biggest honour, winning the best dressed female award.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro, while sentencing the convict, said the judgment would be a deterrent to others who are found abusing and mutilating the naira.
But before the sentence, the judge asked about his sex, and he quickly replied that he was a man.
The judge ruled that the jail term commenced the day of his arrest.
The court had, on April 5, convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the charge of abusing the naira filed against him by the 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 plea for leniency, 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.
However, the judge then told him that ignorance of the law was not an excuse.
He had pleaded, “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.”
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