EFCC to arraign Bobrisky over ‘money laundering, abuse of naira’ today

Anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will today, Friday, arraign popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over naira abuse and failure to declare his firm’s activities involving N180.7 million.

The EFCC had on Thursday, through its council, filed the charge against Bobrisky, a day after he was arrested for alleged naira abuse.

In the charge marked FHC/L/244c/2024, the EFCC listed six counts against the defendant.

In the first four counts, the defendant was accused of naira abuse. While the 5th and 6th counts accused him of offences connected with his company, Bob Express.

The six counts read in part: “That you, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, on March 24, 2024, at Imax Circle Mall, Jakande, Lekki, whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the total sum of N400,000 notes by spraying the same.

“That you, Idris Okuneye, between July and August 2023 at Aja Junction, Ikorodu, whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum of N50,000, by spraying the same

“That you, Idris Okuneye, sometime in December 2023 at White Steve Event Hall, Ikeja, during a social event tampered with the sum of N20,000 by spraying same.

“That you, Idris Okuneye, sometime in 2022 at Event Hall, Oniru, Victory Island, within the jurisdiction of this court whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum of N20,000 by spraying same.”

The four counts were said to have contravened Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Act, 2007.

Counts 5 and 6 read: “That you, Idris Okuneye, trading under the name and style of Bob Express, between September 1, 2021 to April 4, 2024, in Lagos, failed to submit to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, a declaration of your activities of the said company within which period the total sum of N127,780,877.98 was paid into the company’s account number 2830002929, domiciled in Eco Bank Plc.

“That you, Idris Okuneye, trading under the name and style of Bob Express between September 1, 2021 to April 4, 2024, in Lagos, failed to submit to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering a declaration of your activities of the said company within which period the total sum of N53,000,000 was paid into the company’s account number 2830016041, domiciled in Eco Bank Plc.”

Both alleged offences contravened sections 6(1)(a), 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and section 19 (2)(b) of the same Act.

The EFCC arrested and detained the controversial cross-dresser, in Lagos on Wednesday night.

In a statement, EFCC said: “Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of EFCC, have commenced investigation of Idris Okuneye, a.k.a Bobrisky, for allegedly spraying Naira notes.”

The EFCC had invited the 31-year-old following a video report of spraying and flaunting wads of new Naira notes at the premiere of a movie, Ajakaju, produced by Eniola Ajao, a Nollywood actress and producer, at Film One Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos on March 24, 2024.