Nigeria’s prominent crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, has initiated a legal action amounting to N1.2 billion against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Assembly, alleging infringement upon his fundamental rights.
TALKING ARENA recalls that Bobrisky has been embroiled in controversy since activist VeryDarkMan disseminated an alleged audio conversation in which he purportedly asserted having remitted N15 million to certain EFCC officials to dismiss money laundering allegations against him.
Bobrisky was released from incarceration on August 5 subsequent to having been sentenced to a six-month imprisonment on April 12 for infractions related to the naira.
In the alleged recording, the crossdresser further asserted that his so-called “godfather,” in conjunction with Haliru Nababa, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), facilitated his confinement in a private residence rather than a correctional facility during the six-month sentence.
However, the crossdresser has repudiated the veracity of the recording, threatening to pursue legal recourse against VeryDarkMan.
The Joint Committee on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions of the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the bribery allegations.
The House has also extended invitations to VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky, Ola Olukoyode, the chairman of the EFCC, and Nababa to present themselves before the committee.
Bobrisky, on Saturday, utilized Instagram to disseminate a court document dated October 10, which prohibits the EFCC and National Assembly from subjecting him to harassment, detention, or declaring him a fugitive.
He contends in the lawsuit that the EFCC summoned him for an investigative inquiry predicated on a hearsay WhatsApp communication that was publicized by VeryDarkMan.
According to him, the EFCC neglected to verify the authenticity of the recording, resulting in his public ridicule on social media, threats from unidentified individuals, and an invasion of his privacy.
In the legal documentation, the crossdresser seeks compensation of N200 million from the EFCC for psychological trauma and N1 billion from the National Assembly for the infringement of his right to a fair hearing.
“The sum of one billion against the 1st respondent being damages for unlawful attempt to violate the right to fair hearing of the applicant, violate his right from discrimination, violate his right to private and family life, right to privacy of his home and telephone conversations.
“The sum of two hundred million naira against the 2nd respondent being damages suffered, psychotically trauma, mental torture and criminal stigmatisation caused by the reckless report given by the 2nd respondent to the 1st respondent without any proper investigation and fair hearing stating that the doctored social media published audio by VeryDarkMan was true, having not carried out any formal and proper investigation by contacting WhatsApp and laying before the committee that the hearsay doctored evidence was confirmed to be true and authentic.
“The violation of the right of freedom of movement, right to privacy of his telecommunication, ” the document read in part.
