Justice Abimbola Awogboro, a judge of the Federal High Court in Lagos, has reserved the sentencing of Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, until April 9.
The convicted cross-dresser pleaded guilty to four counts of abusing the naira and is to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until the court delivers judgment.
Initially, the EFCC filed a six-count charge against Bobrisky for allegedly spraying money at a party.
However, at the resumed proceeding, the prosecution counsel, Mr Suleiman Suleiman, urged the court to strike out counts five and six, which border on money laundering. The court granted the prosecution’s prayer and arraigned the defendant on counts one to four, which bordered on abusing the naira.
During the hearing, the EFCC operative, Bolaji Temitope, told the court that the commission acted on an intelligence report that Bobrisky was spraying money at a party held at the event centre in Lekki.
He said that during a special operation to monitor who was in the habit of spraying money at a party, the team visited many event centres and monitored social media pages where the naira was being abused.
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He also added that the commission came across a video on social media where the defendant was seen spraying a naira note on Segun Johnson.
Bobrisky’s counsel, Ayo Olumofin, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy and to give him a non-custodial sentence or the option of a fine.
Olumofin argued that Bobrisky is an employer of Nigerians and cooperated with the commission. He also urged the court to allow him to go as he would be useful to educate the Nigerians.
In his plea for mercy, Bobrisky prayed the court to give him a second chance and pleaded for mercy. “My lord, I am a social media influencer with five million followers. Honestly, I was unaware that there is a law against spraying money, which is an abuse of naira. I regret my action, my lord, I will not repeat it.”
The court admitted Bobrisky’s statement and the CD as exhibits, as prayed by the lead EFCC counsel, which the defendant’s counsel did not oppose.
