In a recent voice note, popular cross-dresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky, has claimed that he paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in an effort to secure a Federal Government pardon over money laundering charges levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to Bobrisky, the SAN had initially requested N10 million for the pardon, but he could not raise the entire amount because his bank accounts had been frozen by the EFCC. The controversial figure made this claim in a video shared by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, on Monday, October 7, 2024.
Bobrisky revealed that a call containing this information was recorded on May 16, 2024. He mentioned that his godfather came to his aid by paying the initial N5 million, but noted that asking for further financial support wasn’t an option since his godfather had already arranged for him to stay in a fully furnished apartment near the prison.
Clarifying his current status, Bobrisky denied rumors that he was in prison. “Truth be told, I won’t lie to you. I’m not in prison, but I’m nearby. My godfather made sure I didn’t set foot in prison. He arranged an apartment for me, and the Deputy Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service agreed that as long as I stayed quiet and avoided public posts, I could stay close to the facility and visit my family,” he explained.
Bobrisky shared that he was supposed to serve a sentence until July but was hoping to leave early through the pardon. “We’ve already sent the N5 million to the SAN, and he has submitted the pardon request,” he added.
He also claimed that authorities were concerned about placing him in a male prison due to the risk of harassment, which led to the arrangement of his accommodation near the prison. Bobrisky said, “They worried about my safety in a male facility, so they found a way to keep me nearby, as long as I remained silent.”
This revelation follows an earlier allegation by Bobrisky that EFCC officials had demanded N15 million to drop the charges against him. He further alleged that his godfather and the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service had arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment rather than in a prison facility. Additionally, Bobrisky claimed that human rights lawyer Femi Falana had sought a presidential pardon on his behalf, in exchange for ₦10 million.