FIJ
A panel constituted to investigate some claims made by Idris Okuneye, a popular crossdresser, has recommenced his prosecution based on fresh charges.
A Lagos Federal High Court had sentenced Okuneye to a six-month jail term on April 9 following charges of currency abuse filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Okuneye, via an audio recording published by social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, claimed that he served out his six-month jail term in a private apartment. However, he subsequently denied being the owner of the voice in the leaked audio.
To ascertain the veracity of Okuneye’s claims, the Ministry of Interior set up a panel on September 30. The panel has now produced a report, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by The Punch.
According to the report, the panel recommended Bobrisky to be prosecuted for defamation. It further requested the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate whether Bobrisky bribed any official of the EFCC or the Nigerian Correctional Service.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service should file defamation suits against Bobrisky under sections 373-375 of the Criminal Code Act for his false claims about bypassing the prison system, tarnishing the institution’s reputation,” the report read in part.
“The DSS should be requested to investigate whether Bobrisky, directly or through a proxy, bribed EFCC or NCoS officials. If substantiated, Bobrisky should face charges under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act for bribing public officials,” the report read in part.
Four officials of the correctional service are to face disciplinary action for their misconduct in handling Okuneye’s case.
One of these officials is Ben Rabbi-Freeman, a former controller of corrections. He masterminded the illegal transfer of Okuneye from the “Medium-Security Custody Centre to the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre on April 22”.
Highlighting his specific acts, the report said Rabbi-Freeman effected “the transfer of Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju without proper documentation of Form 5 and Form 5A from the Medium-Security Custody Centre to the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre on April 22, 2024, after over four months of the transfer date, and after the inmate had ended his imprisonment term; backdating the transfer documentation in relation to 1a and 1b above, causing the in-charge Ikoyi Custodial Centre, in-charge Medium-Security Custodial Centre, and in-charge Maximum-Security Custodial Centre to sign backdated transfer documents in relation to Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju”.
The report also indicted Micheal Anugwa, a deputy controller of corrections (DCC) in charge of the Kirikiri Medium Security, recommending him for disciplinary action. He received Okuneye into the facility without adequate documentation on April 12.
Other officials are Balogun Sikiru, a retired DCC, and Sikiru Kamoru Adekunle, a serving DCC.
“DCC Balogun Sikiru (retd) formerly in-charge of Maximum Security Custodial Centre for receiving Bobrisky into the Maximum Security Custodial Centre without the relevant documentation on April 22, 2024, and without the necessary transfer documentation, and DCC Sikiru Kamoru Adekunle who was in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre for backdating the transfer documentation in relation to receiving of Okuneye Idris into the Maximum Security Custodial Centre on April 22, 2024, which was a period he was yet to resume as the in-charge(sic) of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre,” the report read.
For a sound record system, the panel recommended a proper audit of custodial inmates and stop the commercialisation of available inmate support services.
