On Friday, a Nigerian court handed down a sentence of six months imprisonment to Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, a notable transgender social media personality, for an earlier conviction of “spraying” a common, albeit illegal, practice in Nigeria where money is thrown into the air. The details of this case were reported by local media including Premium Times.
The defendant, better known as Bobrisky, was convicted on April 5 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for ‘tampering’ with naira banknotes by spraying over 400,000 naira (approximately $350) during a social event in a local mall in Lagos. The act is considered offensive as the Nigerian banknotes might end up on the ground and be trampled upon, a gesture deemed disrespectful in Nigeria.
Prior to sentencing, Bobrisky was kept in the custody of the EFCC due to public holidays throughout the country. The sentence of six months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for two counts of abusing the Naira represents the maximum punishment set forth under Nigerian law for such an offense.
The decision was delivered on Friday by Presiding Judge Abimbola Awogboro, with the intention that the sentence would highlight the importance of respecting the national currency and dissuade others from indulging in the spraying practice. “The act of mutilating the Naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the image of the country. Enough of people mutilating and tampering with our currencies. It has to stop. His will serve as a deterrent to others,” the judge remarked.
The judgement has been met with considerable backlash. Many Nigerians argue that the Nigerian government is targeting Bobrisky due to her transgender identity, reflecting a broader trend of discrimination in the country. Indeed, Nigeria criminalizes expressions of homosexuality and does not acknowledge transgender identities, with transgender individuals typically dismissed as cross-dressers.
Festus Ogun, a renowned human rights lawyer, criticized the selective enforcement of Nigerian law. The sentence, he said, exemplified a “huge problem” in the country’s legal system.
Judge Awogboro ruled that Bobrisky’s prison term would commence from the day of her arrest, March 24. At this stage, the conviction and consecutive sentence remain open to an appeal.