FG’s panel clears Bobrisky, says he spent six months in prison with privileges

An investigative panel established by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has refuted claims that popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky, served his prison sentence outside of jail.

The panel’s report, presented by Uju Agomoh of Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, confirmed that Bobrisky completed his six-month sentence from April 12 to August 5, 2024, entirely within the custodial system.

However, the report noted that he enjoyed several privileges during his incarceration, including access to furnished cells and frequent family visits.

Agomoh said, “The panel did not find any evidence thus far that suggested that Mr Okuneye slept outside the custodial centre during the period of his imprisonment, which was from 12th April 2024 to 5th August 2024, which is a six-month correctional sentence with the usual remission applicable.”

The panel confirmed that Bobrisky was transferred from the Kuje Custodial Centre to the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri-Apapa, Lagos, and then to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, from where he was discharged after the completion of his sentence.

“The panel also found that Mr Okuneye Idris enjoyed several privileges while in custody, both at the Medium Security and the Maximum Security Custodial Centres, which include, especially the following: furnished single cells, humidifier, lots of visits by his family members and friends as he desired, self-feeding, designated inmates to run errands for him, access to fridge and television, and possibly access to his phone.”

The panel said to have believed that the peculiar case of the inmates and the inmates’ physical looks and behaviour posed a threat, and the lack of laid-down rules for the treatment of such a case may have necessitated such privileges to be granted to Bobrisky rather than financial motivation.

Further investigations are recommended to determine if these privileges were linked to corrupt practices within the correctional service.

However, Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, vowed not to bury the full report submitted by the investigative panel on bribery allegations involving the controversial cross-dresser.

Dailyeconomy reports that Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison on April 12, 2024, for abusing the naira and was released in August.