Nigerian cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has filed an appeal challenging the recent six months imprisonment handed to him by a Federal High Court in Lagos State.
The appeal filed by his lawyer on Monday, April 22 seeks to overturn the sentence given to Bobrisky.
His lawyer, Bimbo Kusanu is praying the court to replace each of the four counts of naira abuse with a fine of N50,000.
He argued that the trial court’s decision to impose the maximum sentence was unjust, especially because the appellant has no prior criminal convictions and his cooperated with Authorities peacefully throughout the legal process.
Daddy Lumba had no ‘diss song’ for me; it was all to entertain fans – Nana Acheampong
Furthermore, Kusanu contends that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) provides avenues for lesser sentences, which the trial court failed to consider.
He asserts that his client’s positive antecedents and his plea of guilt should have been weighed in determining a more lenient punishment.
According to him, the trial court’s failure to exercise discretion appropriately has resulted in a miscarriage of justice against his client.
To him, the appellant’s prompt response to the EFCC’s invitation and the severity of the sentence is disproportionate to the nature of the offense.
Bobrisky was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on four counts bordering on naira abuse.
He pleaded guilty before Justice A.O. Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Justice Awogboro, on 12 April, sentenced Bobrisky to six months imprisonment without an option of a fine.
The judge while sentencing the convict said the judgment should serve as a deterrent to others fond of abusing and mutilating the naira.
Source link
