Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu has slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for parading the controversial cross- dresser on its website as a criminal before conviction.
Odinkalu who was apparently miffed said the EFCC should be ashamed of itself.
The rights activist spoke on a day a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja pronounced as wrongful the on-going practice by anti-graft agencies in the country to parade suspects as fraudsters on their social media sites before conviction.
The trial high court judge, Justice John Okoro who made the pronouncement in a N100m lawsuit suit filed by a photographer, Nasiru Saidu-Ali, held that such practice amounted to a violation of the suspects’ right to human dignity, privacy, and represented a disregard of the fundamental principle of presumption of innocence.
BAR & BENCH WATCH reports that the EFCC had Wednesday night arrested the controversial Nigerian cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky over currency mutilation and abuse of naira notes.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, who made the disclosure on Thursday said Bobrisky was arrested in Lagos.
As soon as Bobrisky was taken to court for trial, the EFCC paraded him on social media.
His (Bobrisky) mugshot released by the EFCC on its website travelled far and wide like a harmattan fire with rights activists including Odinkalu criticizing the anti-graft agency’s conduct.
In a tweet sent on his official Twitter account, Prof Odinkalu asserted that it is not appropriate to use the power of arrest and indictment as a tool to oppress those who they don’t like.
He specifically wrote, “The EFCC should be ashamed of themselves. The power of arrest and prosecution is a public trust that should not be weaponized for the persecution of those whom they don’t like.
“It is either EFCC is evidently idle or this is a clear abuse of power,” he added.
Bobrisky has been in the news for various controversial reasons including winning the “Best Dressed Female” Award at a movie premiere on March 25, 2024, a development that angered many entertainers.
Amongst others, a 1994-born Nigerian singer, rapper and songwriter, Habeeb Okikiola popularly known as Portable or Dr Zeh, on the social media, had called for the arrest of the cross-dresser by the police.
That had sparked hot altercation between Bobrisky and Portable with Nigerians debating the legality of cross-dressing in the country.
The police had also waded in saying cross-dressing was not yet an offence in Nigeria.
, Prof Chidi Odinkalu has slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for parading the controversial cross- dresser on its website as a criminal before conviction.){kind=link}