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A celebrated Nigerian transgender female was connected Friday jailed for six months aft a section tribunal convicted her of throwing nan section rate into nan air, a believe known arsenic spraying, a uncommon condemnation that was criticized by galore successful nan West African federation wherever it is common, though illegal, for group to spray money.
Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju amended known arsenic Bobrisky, was accused of "tampering" pinch nan naira notes by spraying them astatine an event. She had pleaded blameworthy erstwhile first arraigned by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency successful nan economical hub of Lagos.
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Bobrisky's imprisonment was criticized by galore in Nigeria, a profoundly blimpish state wherever openly identifying arsenic a transgender personification is criminalized.
Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, aliases "Bobrisky," a transgender Nigerian societal media personality, is photographed connected Nov. 7, 2016 successful Lagos, Nigeria. (STEFAN HEUNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Her six-month condemnation — handed without nan disposable action of a good — is nan maximum permitted by rule for nan offence. She is allowed to entreaty nan judgment.
"Selective enforcement of nan rule is simply a problem successful Nigeria," said human rights lawyer Festus Ogun, who asked why Bobrisky was "singled out" by nan anti-graft agency.
Bobrisky said successful tribunal that she was not alert of nan law. "I americium a societal media influencer pinch 5 cardinal followers … I wish I tin beryllium fixed a 2nd chance to usage my level to amended my followers against nan maltreatment of nan naira," she told nan judge.
Spraying naira notes ($1 = 1,197 naira) is seen arsenic an maltreatment of nan section rate because group yet trample connected nan notes erstwhile they autumn to nan ground.
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Her condemnation would deter others from abusing nan currency, Abimbola Awogboro, nan presiding judge said astatine Friday’s sitting. "Enough of group mutilating and tampering pinch our currencies. It has to stop," he added.
