LAGOS, Nigeria — Human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, musician and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, have demanded a public apology and retraction from popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, over allegations that they were involved in a bribery scheme.
The allegations were made in audio recordings shared online and have sparked controversy.
The recordings, first shared by social media critic and influencer Martin Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, allege that Bobrisky sought help from Falz to convince his father, Mr Falana, to secure a presidential pardon.
Bobrisky claimed he offered N10 million for the pardon and requested N3 million for preferential treatment at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
In another recording, Bobrisky alleged that he had already paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to secure a Federal Government pardon for charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
These claims have been dismissed as false by Falana and Falz.
Legal Action and Public Demand
Falana’s legal representatives, Olorunfemi Akinyemi and Taiwo E. Olawanle, issued a letter dated October 14, 2024, demanding an immediate public apology and retraction from Bobrisky.
The letter, seen by journalists on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, accuses Bobrisky of making baseless and defamatory statements to extort money from the public and damage Falana’s reputation.
“We are Counsel to Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Mr. Folarin Falana aka Falz (hereinafter referred to as ‘our clients’), on whose behalf we write this letter regarding your slanderous statements against them,” the letter stated.
Falana’s legal team clarified that no such conversation regarding a pardon had occurred between Bobrisky and Falana or Falz.
“Contrary to your baseless claims, you never instructed our client to write a letter of pardon for you,” the letter continued.
Accusations of Extortion
The legal team further alleged that Bobrisky had used these false claims to solicit money from the public, creating a fabricated narrative involving Falana and his son.
“You have published a list of individuals who believed your fabricated story and contributed millions of naira, supposedly to pay our client to write a letter of pardon and bribe public officers on your behalf,” the letter stated.
Falana’s lawyers clarified that the human rights lawyer had secured pardons for over 300 Nigerians on a pro bono basis and that the claims of a paid pardon scheme were entirely false.
The letter emphasised that Bobrisky’s actions have damaged Falana’s professional reputation both locally and internationally.
Legal Consequences
The letter concluded with a warning that legal action, including the pursuit of monetary damages, would be taken if Bobrisky failed to issue a public retraction and apology within 12 hours of receiving the letter.
“We hope you will urgently address the issues raised herein in your own best interest,” the legal team stated.
This development follows recent legal battles involving Bobrisky and media critic VeryDarkMan, highlighting the ongoing tensions between public figures over allegations of defamation and false information.
Falana and his son are now seeking to clear their names and ensure accountability for the spread of what they describe as malicious falsehoods. The public awaits Bobrisky’s response to the legal demand.
