Bobrisky Faces New Criminal Charges As Four Prison Officers Indicted

Nigerian controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, may face new criminal charges.

This comes after allegations surfaced that Bobrisky served his prison sentence in a private apartment and allegedly bribed Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials to dismiss money laundering charges.

According to Punch, an investigative panel has recommended fresh defamation and criminal charges against Bobrisky who was released from prison on August 5, 2024, after serving six months for currency misuse.

Shortly after his release, social critic Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, posted a voice recording supposedly featuring Bobrisky, where he allegedly claimed he paid N15 million to EFCC officers to drop his charges.

Bobrisky also reportedly said he bribed officials from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to serve his sentence in a private apartment.

In response, the Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo initiated an investigation led by Permanent Secretary Magdalena Ajani on September 30.

The panel’s findings indicate that Bobrisky didn’t stay outside Kirikiri Custodial Centre during his sentence, but it stated that his claims damaged the reputation of the correctional service.

The panel has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate if Bobrisky, directly or through someone else, bribed officials.

If proven, the panel suggests corruption charges be filed against him.

It also recommended the NCoS sue Bobrisky for defamation under Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act, sections 373-375, for allegedly spreading falsehoods about bypassing the prison system.

The panel also implicated four correctional officers, including former Controller Ben Rabbi-Freeman, for facilitating Bobrisky’s transfer without proper paperwork and for backdating documents.

Deputy Controller Michael Anugwa, who managed the Kirikiri Medium Security, allegedly admitted Bobrisky without required documentation.

Other implicated officers include retired DCC Balogun Sikiru and DCC Kamoru Adekunle, who reportedly processed Bobrisky’s transfer irregularly.

The panel also proposed an audit of NCoS facilities, inmate records, and the decoupling of welfare services from commercial interests, advocating for stronger oversight and partnerships with NGOs.

To reduce overcrowding, they recommended implementing non-custodial measures as a standard practice.

A senior NCoS official explained that “VIP treatment” for certain prisoners isn’t new, noting that various facilities exist for inmates based on health, age, and sentence type.

In Bobrisky’s case, the official revealed that his unique circumstances required a separate cell for his safety.

The officer clarified that this setup, which Bobrisky referred to as a “private apartment,” was simply a precautionary measure to prevent potential abuse.

“There are different facilities in the custodial centres across the country, and it is not out of place to treat some of the prisoners according to their health conditions, sex, age, and category of the sentence. Importantly, the prison authority also considers human rights and the treatment of the prisoners,” the officer said.

“The case of Bobrisky is an eye-opener for us. The NCoS authority confirmed that he is a woman from the middle upward, while he is a man from the middle downward. We had never had such a person in our custody, and there is no facility for such a situation. He had to be placed in a separate cell so that he wouldn’t be abused. That facility is what he ignorantly called a private apartment.

“Whether VIP or not, the condition of a prisoner will determine the facility he/she is going to stay in. We can’t put a prisoner who has high blood pressure in a cell without enough ventilation.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Bobrisky was recently rushed to Falomo Police Hospital for medical treatment after complaining of breast pain.