An investigation team has discovered no proof that Idris Okuneye, a prominent crossdresser known as Bobrisky, slept outside the prison walls after being convicted.
Bobrisky was freed from prison on August 5 after receiving a six-month term for drug abuse on April 12.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, had ordered an investigation after VeryDarkMan, an activist, posted a video in which Bobrisky allegedly stated he bribed certain Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officers to dismiss the money laundering case against him.
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In the video, an individual claimed to be Bobrisky alleged that a “godfather” and Haliru Nababa, the controller general of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), ensured he completed his six-month term in a private flat rather than in prison.
Tunji-Ojo formed an investigative panel on ‘Alleged Corruption & Other Violations Against the Nigerian Correctional Service’ on September 30. Magdalena Ajani, permanent secretary of the ministry of interior, presided the group.
Reading the phase one report of the panel at the ministry of interior on Monday, Uju Agomoh, executive director and founder of Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), 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 the 5th August 2024, which is a six-month correctional sentence with the usual remission applicable”.
According to Agomoh, Bobrisky was transferred from the Kuje Custodial Centre to the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri-Apapa, Lagos, and finally to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, where he was released after serving his term.
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However, the panel found that the cross-dresser’s transfer to a maximum security institution as a first-time offender violated Sections 164A and 164B of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act of 2019.
“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 statement reads.
“It is necessary to further investigate if the above privileges provided for Okuneye Idris were financially motivated and based on corrupt practices by correctional officers.
“The panel believes that the peculiar case of the inmates and the inmates’ physical look and behaviour pose 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 Okunenye Idris.
“The panel recommends that clear guidelines need to be set up to guide operations regarding such incidents in future.
“Steps should be taken to avoid the obvious discriminatory practices in relation to the socio-economic levels and other status of inmates.”
