By Dele Adebowale

Popular Nigerian cross dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, has been convicted by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday for mutilation of Naira notes.

It would be recalled that the convict was arrested and prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Trial judge, Justice Abimbola Awogboro convicted the defendant following his guilty plea to the charge brought against him by the EFCC.

Hiwever, the court reserved till April 9, to sentence the convict and ordered that he be remanded in custody of the EFCC.

Earlier, EFCC had on Thursday, filed a six-count charge against Bobrisky, but he was arranged Friday.

The charge against victim counts one to four borders on alleged tampering with naira notes, while counts five and six borders on money laundering.

When the case was called, the prosecutor, Mr. Suleiman Suleiman told the court that following a discussion, the defendant had agreed d to pleaded guilty to the charge. He made an oral application for counts five and six to be struck out, leaving counts one to four.

The court consequently struck out counts five and six.
When the remaining counts were read to the defendant, he pleaded guilty to them.

Sequel to his plea, the prosecutor called on the investigating police officer to give a brief review of the case as the prosecution witness.

According to the witness, Mr. Bolaji Temitope of the EFCC, said that during investigation, the team came about a video where the defendant was seen mutilating the Naira notes, saying the videos were downloaded and copied on a Compact Disc (CD) while a letter of invitation was sent to the defendant.

According to him, the defendant honoured the invitation and when he arrived the EFCC office, he was cautioned and then he volunteered a statement.

The witness told the court that the defendant was then shown a video where he was spraying money on an artiste called Segun Johnson, adding that the defendant admitted that he was the person in the video, adding that the defendant was also shown a video of him at Circle Mall Lekki, Lagos, where he sprayed the sum of N400,000 at a movie premier, and that the defendant again admitted same.

He told the court that the defendant was also shown two videos of him spraying money at Ajah and Ikorodu junction in Lagos, and the defendant still admitted same.

At this point, the prosecutor showed the witness the CD containing the videos as well as statement of the defendant and certificate of identification.

,The witness confirmed same to the court, and there was no objection from the defence.

Mr Ayo Olumofin appeared for defence counsel.

The court admitted same and marked them exhibit A, B1 and B2.

The prosecutor, then urged the court to convict the defendant as charged based on the case as presented by the EFCC.

The court consequently, found the defendant guilty of the offence as charged and accordingly convicted him.

In his plea for mercy, the defendant told the court that he is a social media influencer with five million followers.

According to him “In all honesty, I was not aware of the law; my lord, I wish I can be given a second chance to use my platform to educate my followers about spraying the naira. I will do a video on my page and educate those who do not know like myself, about spraying of the Naira; I regret my action,” he said

On his part. defence counsel begged for a non custodial sentence for the defendant.

The court then rose briefly after the allocutus by defence.
When the court resumed, the judge reserved sentencing until April 9, and ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody pending judgment.

© Vanguard

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