Abuse of Naira: Bobrisky appeals the court verdict

Femi Onasanya
2 Min Read

In an attempt to overturn the maximum punishment of six months that a Federal High Court in Lagos State had imposed on controversial transvestite Idris Okuneye, better known by his stage name Bobrisky, filed a notice of appeal on Monday.

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, filed four charges against Okuneye that had to do with misusing naira.

 

Before Justice A.O. Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, he entered a guilty plea.

 

On April 12, Justice Awogboro condemned Okuneye to six months in prison without the possibility of a fine.

 

The judge stated during the convict’s punishment that the ruling ought to act as a disincentive to those who enjoy mistreating and disfiguring naira.

 

But Mr. Bimbo Kusanu, Okuneye’s attorney, filed a notice of appeal, pleading with the Court of Appeal to overturn the maximum punishment.

 

Kusanu is requesting that the court substitute a N50,000 fine for the existing sentence on each count.

 

The appellant had no prior criminal convictions, and the trial court had given him the maximum penalty, according to the counsel in the notice of appeal.

 

He said that the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, or ACJA, could be used to impose a reduced term.

 

According to his allegations, the appellant received a harsh penalty from the trial court that went beyond the mandatory provisions of the ACJA.

 

The appellant claimed that the trial court had disregarded his positive antecedent, which was that he had spared the court’s time by entering a guilty plea.

 

He declared that on the initial invitation, the appellant accepted the respondent’s invitation.

 

In sentencing the appellant, he claimed the trial court had not used its discretion in a prudent or judicial manner.

 

He gave an explanation of how the appellant had suffered a miscarriage of justice as a result of this action.

 

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