Controversial Nigerian cross-dresser, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, has requested the Court of Appeal to amend his six-month prison sentence to a monetary fine. Bobrisky was recently convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos for abusing the Nigerian currency by spraying it at a social event, which is considered mutilation of the naira.
The conviction on April 12, 2024, followed his guilty plea to four counts of naira abuse as charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Abimbola Awogboro sentenced Bobrisky without the option of a fine, aiming to set a deterrent for similar offenses. However, Bobrisky's legal representative, Bimbo Kusanu, has filed an appeal arguing that the punishment is excessively harsh for a first-time offender and is pushing for a conversion of the prison term into a N50,000 fine for each count.
In the filed notice of appeal, Bobrisky’s defense highlights that he has no prior criminal convictions and cooperated fully with the EFCC during the investigation. The appeal criticizes the judgment for focusing on perceptions by foreigners regarding the abuse of the naira, rather than on Bobrisky's compliance and acknowledgment of guilt, which spared the court additional resources.
The appeal contends that the trial judge failed to apply the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015, which suggest less severe penalties for first-time offenders, leading to what the defense describes as a miscarriage of justice. Bobrisky’s team is urging the appellate court to reconsider the terms of sentencing to reflect these arguments
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