Popular cross-dresser and social media personality, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, has taken legal action against his conviction on four counts of Naira abuse, filing a notice of appeal through his lawyer, Bimbo Kusanu.
Bobrisky is challenging the six-month imprisonment sentence handed down to him by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, requesting the court to overturn the sentence and instead impose a fine of N50,000 on each count.
The conviction stemmed from Bobrisky’s guilty plea on April 5, following charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for Naira abuse.
In his appeal, Bobrisky contends that the trial court’s imposition of the maximum sentence was excessive, especially considering his lack of prior criminal convictions and the discretion afforded by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
He argues that the court failed to consider his positive conduct, including his cooperation during the investigation, and that the punishment imposed was disproportionate to the offense.
Bobrisky’s appeal highlights discrepancies in the trial court’s reasoning, particularly regarding the intention behind Naira abuse laws and the consideration of foreign opinions on the matter.
He asserts that the court’s failure to exercise discretion judiciously resulted in a miscarriage of justice, and he urges the appellate court to replace the imprisonment sentence with a fine, citing provisions of the ACJA.