Abuja, Nigeria | By Michael Wandati | A Nigerian court issued a ruling on Friday 12, April 2024 against Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, a prominent figure in the LGBTQ community known as Bobrisky, sentencing her to six months in prison. This decision followed her conviction for an incident at a film premiere where she was found guilty of tossing banknotes into the air.
The act of tossing banknotes into the air, locally termed as “spraying,” is a customary practice at various social gatherings such as weddings and parties in Nigeria. However, it is illegal due to its detrimental impact on the national currency, the naira.
Bobrisky, was sentenced by a federal judge in Lagos for the offense of mutilating naira notes. The case was handled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a government agency focused on combating corruption.
“The act of mutilating the Naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the image of the country,” Justice Awogboro said, according to the EFCC statement.
“Enough of people mutilating and tampering with our currencies. It has to stop.”
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.”
Attempts to reach Bobrisky’s legal representatives for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
However, according to a statement by the EFCC, Bobrisky claimed ignorance of the law regarding spraying and appealed for leniency.
The Central Bank of Nigeria maintains that any defacement of the currency is a form of disrespect to the nation and is punishable by imprisonment or fine.
Meanwhile, before the sentence, the judge asked Bobrisky about his sex, and he quickly replied that he is a man.
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Human rights organizations highlight the regular harassment and intimidation faced by LGBTQ individuals by law enforcement in Nigeria, where homosexuality is subject to severe penalties of 10 to 14 years in prison.
The EFCC stated that its investigation was prompted by a video showing Bobrisky spraying and displaying bundles of new Naira notes at a film premiere in Lagos.
In a separate incident, Nigerian actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin was sentenced to six months in prison in February after being captured on video spraying and stepping on banknotes.
Bobrisky has always stirred controversy as he appears in public functions in female costumes and in 2021, he revealed a new physical appearance to become more feminine after surgery.
Before the sentence, the judge asked Bobrisky about his sex, and he quickly replied “I am a man,”
“The act of mutilating the Naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the image of the country,” Justice Awogboro said, according to the EFCC statement.
The judge in her ruling held that the jail term would commence on March 24, 2024, the day of his arrest.
