Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has told Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos that he was not aware of the law against the mutilation of the Nigerian currency, naira.
Bobrisky who pleaded guilty to abusing the naira after he publicly sprayed the naira at a party urged the judge to give him a second chance.
He told the urge that he has a huge following on social media and if he is given a second chance, he would educate them on the abuse of the naira.
“I am a social media influencer, with five million followers; and in all honesty, I was not aware of the law.
“I wish I could be given a second chance to use my platform to educate my followers against the abuse of the naira. I will do a video on my page and educate people on that. I will not repeat the offence. I regret my action,” he pleaded.
The social media influencer was charged by the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
EFCC investigating officer, ASE I Bolaji Temitope Aje had earlier told the judge that the anti-graft agency received intelligence on some individuals, who are in the habit of mutilating and spraying the naira notes at social parties and event centres in Lagos.
“Based on the intelligence, the EFCC set up the Special Operations Team to observe and monitor activities of individuals, who are involved in the habit of mutilating the naira.
“The team visited many event centres and monitored social media pages, where the naira was being abused.
“During the monitoring, the team came across videos on social media, where the defendant (Bobrisky) was seen abusing the naira.
“The team then proceeded to download these videos via our office laptop computers and also went further to copy these videos on compact discs.
“In the light of the foregoing, a letter of invitation was written and forwarded to Bobrisky.
“Bobrisky honoured the invitation. When he got to our office, he was voluntarily cautioned. Thereafter, he volunteered to write his statement.
“Bobrisky was shown a video, where he was spraying money on an artiste called Segun Johnson. The defendant confessed that he was the one in the video. He was also shown a video at IMAX Circle Mall, where he sprayed a total sum of N400,000 at a movie premiere. The defendant also admitted that he was the one in the video and that he carried out the abuse.
“The defendant was also shown two other videos of him spraying the naira at Aja junction, Ikorodu, and White Stone Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
“The defendant admitted to spraying money in these videos. He was, therefore, served with a bail condition.
