By Abiola Olawale
Eminent Nigerian human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) has formally requested a public retraction and apology from popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky.
This request comes in response to Bobrisky’s allegations that Falana demanded N10 million to facilitate a presidential pardon over an alleged money laundering charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a letter dated October 14, 2024, issued by Falana’s legal representatives, Olorunfemi Akinyemi, Esq., and Taiwo E. Olawanle, Esq., Bobrisky was accused of making defamatory and false statements regarding Falana’s involvement in the alleged bribe.
Falana, in the letter, stated that Bobrisky’s claims were entirely baseless and damaging to his hard-earned reputation.
Falana’s legal team also made it clear that no such conversation ever took place and that Bobrisky’s claims were aimed at extorting money from the public while tarnishing Falana’s professional standing.
The legal team explained that Bobrisky has never spoken to their client or instructed him to write a letter of pardon for him.
The letter reads in part: “We are Counsel to Mr. Femi Falana SAN (hereinafter referred to as “our client) on whose behalf we write this letter regarding your slanderous statement against him.
“We have confirmed that you took advantage of your recent imprisonment to extort money from a group of artists and other members of the public. You would recall that you called Mr Falarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, on May 4, 2024, and requested him to assist you with the sum of N3,000,000 (Three Million Naira) to secure a special place in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
“Even though Falz turned down your request you were quoted in a video to have said that he informed you that his father, our client, had undertaken to write a letter of pardon for you. You also said that our client had spoken to you and that the sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) would be needed to bribe officials who would process the application for your pardon.
“In another video, you claimed that you had paid N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in an attempt to secure a Federal Government pardon over the charges filed against you by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“You also claimed that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria had initially requested N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) for his legal services but that you explained to him that you were unable to raise the full amount as your account had been frozen by the EFCC.”
Falana’s legal team noted that Bobrisky only set out to enrich himself at the expense of their client’s reputation.
“You have since published a list of persons who believed your concocted story and donated millions of Naira to pay our client to write a letter of pardon and bribe some unnamed public officers on your behalf.
“Your decision to involve our client in the criminal enterprise was a figment of your fertile imagination.
“Contrary to your spurious claims, you never briefed our client to write a letter of pardon for you.”
It would be recalled that in September, Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, leaked a video recording that purportedly reveals how Bobrisky indicated that he later served his recent jail term outside the prison facility.
In the video, Bobrisky was purportedly heard saying he bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him.
In the same video, VeryDarkMan alleged that Bobrisky paid N10 million to Falz (Folarin Falana) and his father (Femi Falana) to intercede on his behalf for a presidential pardon.
However, Falana denied the allegations and filed a suit on September 30, 2024, demanding that VeryDarkMan publish an apology on all his social media handles/pages for the defamatory statements purportedly made in the video in question.
On Tuesday, the Lagos High Court issued an interim order restraining VeryDarkMan from further publishing defamatory content about the renowned human rights lawyer.
The court directed VeryDarkMan, his agents, and any associates to remove the defamatory videos and comments posted on September 24, 2024, across all his social media platforms.
Justice M.O. Dawodu granted the order on Monday, pending Otse’s compliance with the Pre-Action Protocol of the court.
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit numbered ID/8586GCM/2024, filed by Falana against VeryDarkMan.
