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.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Allegations made by controversial social critic, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, that popular crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, did not serve his six-month jail term in Ikoyi prison is false, a Federal Government (FG) panel has said.
Bobriksy was sentenced to six months imprisonment on April 12, 2024, for naira abuse and released from prison in August. However, VeryDarkMan disclosed that he served the jail term outside the prison premises had shared a voice note allegedly of Bobrisky saying his “godfather,” arranged with some Nigerian Correctional Service staff to ensured stay in a private apartment for the period.
He also alleged that Bobrisky said he paid N15m to some officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to drop money laundering charge earlier brought against him.
Reacting to the disclosure, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, set up an investigative panel to probe the claims on September 30, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Magdalena Ajani. the panel was to probe alleged corruption claims and other violations against the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Releasing the outcome of the investigation on Monday, October 21, 2024, a member of the panel and the Executive Director and founder of Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, Uju Agomoh, said the panel found no evidence that Bobrisky slept outside the prison walls after she was sentenced.
According to him, “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.”
He noted that Bobrisky was transferred from Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja to the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri-Apapa, Lagos, and then to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre where he completed his sentence.
Agomoh added, “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.
“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 inmate and the inmate’s 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.”