In a recent investigation, a Nigerian panel has cleared social media influencer Bobrisky, whose real name is Idris Okuneye, of allegations that she did not serve her full six-month jail term for abusing the national currency. However, the panel did uncover that Bobrisky enjoyed several special privileges during her incarceration.

The panel was established by the Ministry of Interior following bribery claims made by influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan. He alleged that officials had been bribed to dismiss money laundering charges against Bobrisky, which she has denied. The investigation revealed that Bobrisky was housed in a furnished single cell equipped with a humidifier, a refrigerator, a television, and even a phone, allowing her to receive frequent visits from family and friends.

Bobrisky was sentenced to a male prison after a controversial incident in April where she threw banknotes at a film premiere, an act referred to as “spraying,” which is illegal under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act. Although the maximum penalty for such actions is six months in jail, prosecutions have been infrequent until this year.

The panel concluded that sending Bobrisky, a first-time offender, to a maximum-security facility violated the Nigerian Correctional Service Act. They are now conducting further investigations to determine whether the privileges she received were the result of corrupt practices among correctional officers.

After Bobrisky’s release in August, a viral video surfaced in which an individual, allegedly Bobrisky, claimed to have paid $9,000 (£7,000) to anti-corruption officials to drop the money laundering charges. Bobrisky has denied that the voice in the video is hers.

This case continues to attract attention, not only for its implications regarding corruption within the Nigerian penal system but also for the societal perceptions surrounding transgender individuals in the country.

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