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Bobrisky to face fresh criminal charges as panel indicts four prison officers

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Controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, may face fresh criminal charges over claims that he served his jail term in a private apartment and bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to drop money laundering charges against him.

Ekwutosblog on Sunday exclusively gathered that a panel set up to investigate the claims recommended that he should face defamation and criminal charges.

Bobrisky was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on April 12 for abusing the naira. He was released from prison on August 5.

A few weeks after his release, controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, shared a voice note of a conversation purportedly between Bobrisky and another person, where the crossdresser allegedly stated that he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him. He also claimed to have bribed officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.

 

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently constituted an investigation panel, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalena Ajani, on September 30, to probe the claims.

The panel, while presenting its report, said there was no evidence that Bobrisky slept outside the Kirikiri Custodial Centre during his six-month sentence.

Details of the report, exclusively obtained by Ekwutosblog on Friday, stated that Bobrisky tarnished the image of the correctional service with false claims.

 

The panel also asked the Department of State Services to investigate whether, directly or through a proxy, he bribed the EFCC or the correctional service.

If the allegations of bribery by Bobrisky are substantiated, the panel said he should be charged with corrupt practices.

“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 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 partly read.

The panel also indicted four correctional officers who were recommended for disciplinary action as outlined in the NCoS’s condition of service, civil service, and applicable laws.

One of those recommended for sanctions is a former Controller of Corrections, Ben Rabbi-Freeman.

He was accused of “effecting 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.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently constituted an investigation panel, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalena Ajani, on September 30, to probe the claims.

The panel, while presenting its report, said there was no evidence that Bobrisky slept outside the Kirikiri Custodial Centre during his six-month sentence.

Details of the report, exclusively obtained by Sunday PUNCH on Friday, stated that Bobrisky tarnished the image of the correctional service with false claims.

The panel also asked the Department of State Services to investigate whether, directly or through a proxy, he bribed the EFCC or the correctional service.

If the allegations of bribery by Bobrisky are substantiated, the panel said he should be charged with corrupt practices.

“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 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 partly read.

The panel also indicted four correctional officers who were recommended for disciplinary action as outlined in the NCoS’s condition of service, civil service, and applicable laws.

One of those recommended for sanctions is a former Controller of Corrections, Ben Rabbi-Freeman.

He was accused of “effecting 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.”

In addition, the Deputy Controller of Corrections who was in charge of the Kirikiri Medium Security, Micheal Anugwa, who claimed during a parliamentary inquiry that he had not been suspended despite an official order from the Minister of Interior, was recommended for disciplinary action.

He was indicted for receiving Bobrisky into the Medium Security Custodial Centre without the relevant documentation on April 12, 2024, and without the necessary transfer documentation.

“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 of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre.”

The panel further recommended an audit of all inmates and detainees in all custodial centres of the NCoS, their warrants, and other records. It asked that a mechanism be set up to do this and sustain it as an effective oversight weekly.

It demanded “decommercialisation of all welfare and support services to inmates with immediate effect and ensuring that adequate funding and oversight are put in place to ensure the continuation of these. This will also include building sustainable partnerships with civil society organisations (example, with relevant NGOs and professional associations) on some or all of these.”

“Facilitate the effective implementation of non-custodial measures across the entire country to help reduce the number of people in custodial centres by utilising imprisonment only as a last resort,” the report added.

Special facilities in custodial centres

A senior management officer of the NCoS told Ekwutosblog that what people called VIP treatment for certain prisoners was a special facility that had existed for years.

According to the high-ranking officer, custodial centres have different facilities and prisoners’ conditions (health, age, sex) determine which facility they stay in to serve their jail term.

The officer said, “There are different facilities in the custodial centres across the country, and it is not out of place to treat some of the prisoners according to their health conditions, sex, age, and category of the sentence. Importantly, the prison authority also considers human rights and the treatment of the prisoners.

“The case of Bobrisky is an eye-opener for us. The NCoS authority confirmed that he is a woman from the middle upward, while he is a man from the middle downward. We had never had such a person in our custody, and there is no facility for such a situation. He had to be placed in a separate cell so that he wouldn’t be abused. That facility is what he ignorantly called a private apartment.

“Whether VIP or not, the condition of a prisoner will determine the facility he/she is going to stay in. We can’t put a prisoner who has high blood pressure in a cell without enough ventilation.”

Activists make case for crossdressers

Okuneye’s case has sparked debate on human rights and recognition of crossdressers, transgenders, and transsexual individuals in the country’s laws, institutions, and facilities.

Some activists, who spoke with Ekwutosblog, argued that the government and its institutions should be aware of the presence of these individuals and make provisions for them.

The activists believe that sexual orientation is part of the human rights to be respected by the Nigerian government.

An activist, Femi Adeyeye, said the Kirikiri Custodial Centre where Bobrisky served his jail term was not befitting of his sexual orientation.

Adeyeye urged the Federal Government to respect the rights of individuals regardless of their sexual orientation. He also called on the government to provide special facilities for transgender inmates.

“A special cell for transgender persons is a welcome development; it’s something the government should look into,” he stated.

Another activist, Michael Adaramoye, noted that the Nigerian society had not come to terms with the reality of a growing transgender population.

 

However, Adaramoye said, “While we must recognise the right of individuals to sexual freedom, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others, we must also be sensitive to the concerns of other members of society.

He advocated the provision of facilities to accommodate transgender individuals in prisons and cells.

“It is important to note that our correctional centres are organised in a way that dehumanises inmates. Under such vicious conditions, it is difficult for any positive character reform to occur. The prison system in Nigeria is in dire need of deep reform and overhaul,” the activist added.

Also, human rights lawyer, Toyin Taiwo-Ojo, said the Federal Government’s position on homosexuality was ambiguous.

“The Nigerian government must re-evaluate Bobrisky’s detention and consider the long-term implications of their decisions,” she concluded.

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Bitcoin soars past US$81,000 as Trump’s pro-crypto stance fuels buying spree

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Bitcoin reached a record high on Monday. Photo: Reuters
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The token climbed to an unprecedented US$81,497 early in the Asian day on Monday

Bitcoin rallied past US$81,000 for the first time, boosted by President-elect Donald Trump’s embrace of digital assets and the prospect of a Congress featuring pro-crypto lawmakers.

Trump’s decisive victory in the presidential election has prompted celebratory chest-thumping from the digital-asset industry, which spent over US$100 million backing a range of crypto-friendly candidates.

The largest token climbed as much as 6.1 per cent on Sunday, before extending the gain to an unprecedented US$81,497 early in the Asian day on Monday. Bullish sentiment lifted smaller coins too, including a surge in Dogecoin, a meme-crowd favourite promoted by Trump supporter Elon Musk.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

“With the dust from Trump’s victory still settling down, it was only a matter of time before a run-up of some sort occurred given the perception of Trump being pro-crypto, and that’s what we’re seeing now,” said Le Shi, Hong Kong managing director at market-making firm Auros.

Trump vowed on the campaign trail to put the US at the centre of the digital-asset industry, including creating a strategic bitcoin stockpile and appointing regulators enamoured with digital assets. Jubilant traders for the moment are paying little heed to questions such as the speed of likely implementation or whether a strategic stockpile is a realistic possibility.

His broader agenda of stoking domestic economic growth, tax cuts and reducing red tape has fuelled a buying spree across stocks, credit and crypto. The S&P 500 stock index last week hit its 50th record this year.

Bitcoin has added about 92 per cent so far in 2024, helped by robust demand for dedicated US exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The rise in the token, which scaled fresh records after Tuesday’s US vote, exceeds the returns from investments such as stocks and gold.

The ETFs, powered by BlackRock’s $35 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust, posted a record daily net inflow of almost US$1.4 billion on Thursday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A day earlier, the iShares ETF’s trading volume jumped to an all-time peak – all signs of how Trump’s victory is reshaping crypto.

Trump’s stance contrasts with a crackdown on digital assets under President Joe Biden. Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Genslerrepeatedly labelled the sector as rife with fraud and misconduct. The agency turned the screws on crypto following a 2022 market rout and a litany of collapses, notably the bankruptcy of Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraudulent FTX exchange.

Digital-asset companies spent heavily during the election campaign to boost candidates viewed as favourable to their interests. Against that backdrop, Trump did an about-face, becoming a supporter of an industry he once labelled a scam.

“Trump has promised supportive regulation, and the sweep of the House and the Senate makes the passage of crypto bills much more likely,” wrote Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto Is Macro Now newsletter.

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Philippine hotel named world’s largest chicken-shaped building by Guinness World Records

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A 15-room hotel at the Campuestohan Highland Resort in the Philippines was named the largest building in the shape of a chicken by Guinness World Records. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records
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Philippine hotel named world’s largest chicken-shaped building by Guinness World Records

A hotel in the Philippines has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest chicken-shaped building in the world.

The hotel measures 12 meters in width, 28 meters in length, and stands 35 meters tall, approximately the height of a 13-story building, with each floor around 2.6 meters high, according to the Guinness World Records website.

Designed by businessman Ricardo “Cano” Gwapo Tan, the chicken-shaped building is part of Campuestohan Highland Resort, a popular tourist destination in the Philippines.

The hotel features 15 air-conditioned rooms equipped with televisions and large beds, suitable for families or groups. Additionally, it boasts a viewing deck that offers visitors a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding area, as reported by Philstar.

Room rates start at 4,500 pesos (US$77) per night.

When asked about the rooster-inspired design, Tan explained that it reflects the gamefowl industry in Negros Occidental. He added that the “calm and commanding, imposing and strong” figure of the rooster represents the local spirit, according to Guinness World Records.

Construction of the hotel began on June 10, 2023, and completed on Sept. 8 this year despite challenges of frequent storms in the area.

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ACCOUNTABILITY: IGP SPEAKS TOUGH ON ALLEGED EXTORTIONS, ORDERS STRINGENT PUNISHMENT FOR CORRUPT OFFICERS.

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ACCOUNTABILITY: IGP SPEAKS TOUGH ON ALLEGED EXTORTIONS, ORDERS STRINGENT PUNISHMENT FOR CORRUPT OFFICERS.
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PRESS RELEASE

ACCOUNTABILITY: IGP SPEAKS TOUGH ON ALLEGED EXTORTIONS, ORDERS STRINGENT PUNISHMENT FOR CORRUPT OFFICERS.

Reschedules workshop on Child Protection, Care for Monday 11th.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., has condemned alleged extortions by some officers of the force in some areas within the country, most especially the extant case involving the officers of the Zone 16 Zonal Headquarters, Yenegoa, identified as ASP Emmanuel Ubong, Inspector Nse Okon, Inspector Adiewere Collins, and Inspector Kuromare Marine.

The officers were alleged of extorting the sum of Ten Million Naira from a group of young Nigerians. The money has been recovered through the efforts of the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 16, and the Officers have since been detained and subjected to orderly room trial.

The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun, maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any act of corruption and police misconduct, as the Force takes every allegation of extortion and abuse of power extremely seriously.

The IGP has however reassured the general public that the force will continue to investigate all allegations levelled against erring officers of the Force thoroughly. In pursuit of restorative justice, the Inspector-General of Police has mandated severe consequences for any officer, no matter how highly ranked, found culpable, acting as a deterrent to those who may seek to compromise the integrity of the Force.

The IGP further urges members of the public to make use of the following Police helpline & contacts to lay complaints whenever necessary: +2347056792065, +2349133333785, +2349133333786, @PoliceNG on X, @ngpolice on Facebook, and @nigeriapoliceforce on Instagram. Citizens can also contact us by mail via pressforabuja@police.gov.ng and through the police website at www.npf.gov.ng..

Similarly, to guarantee that officers within the Force receive adequate training in child care and protection and in effective investigations considerate of vulnerable individuals, most especially children in conflict with the law, the IGP has rescheduled the workshop with all Heads of Police investigative units to take place on Monday, November 11, 2024.

The workshop will not only focus on enhancing technical capabilities but also emphasize the essential ethical principles when dealing with sensitive cases in order to have a child-friendly police system in Nigeria. By emphasizing compassion, transparency, and adherence to modern investigation techniques, the Nigeria Police Force aims to foster a culture of professionalism and accountability among its personnel, thereby strengthening public trust and confidence in the organization.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

8TH NOVEMBER, 2024

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