Prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has strongly reacted to allegations linking him to a bribery scandal involving popular Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky.
The allegations, shared by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, claimed that Falana and his son, musician Falz, were involved in efforts to secure a pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for money.
In a voice note circulated online, a voice believed to be Bobrisky’s made several claims regarding his sentencing for abuse of the naira.
Bobrisky alleged that his “godfather” and officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment rather than prison.
Additionally, Bobrisky claimed that he paid a substantial bribe to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to drop charges of money laundering.
The allegations quickly gained traction, with VeryDarkMan amplifying the accusations on his social media platforms.
In his post, he expressed shock and disappointment at the involvement of Falana and his son, Falz, in the matter. This prompted an immediate response from Falana, who swiftly denied any connection to the situation and threatened legal action.
In a letter written on his behalf by Taiwo Olawanle of Falana and Falana Chambers, the senior advocate gave VeryDarkMan a 24-hour ultimatum to retract the defamatory statements.
The letter read partly: “We are counsel for Mr Femi Falana SAN (hereinafter referred to as “our client”), on whose behalf we write this letter regarding your publication and dissemination of defamatory statements against him.
“Your publication of September 25, 2024, on your Instagram page captioned ‘In everything and everyone that is mentioned here, I will be disappointed if truly FALZ and his father are involved in this whole Bobrisky issue…’ refers.
“In publishing the statement on several online platforms, you informed your large viewership that Mr. Femi Falana ‘spoke to Bobrisky in order to divert justice’.
“Your publication contained multiple allegations and that you did not expect Mr Femi Falana, who was a lawyer to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, whom everyone respects, to ‘engage in something like this?’.
“Your publication further alleged that Mr Femi Falana SAN wanted to get a presidential pardon for Bobrisky for the sum of N10,000,000.00.
“As if that was not enough, you proceeded to state as follows: ‘I don’t even believe that Femi Falana would bring himself down to this level, the whole Femi Falana would engage himself with something like this’… ‘The man started the pardon and he said he wanted to send it to the Minister of Justice in Abuja, who will send it to the President to approve it but you know Nigeria with corruption.’
“’Femi FALANA collected N10,000,000 in order to wipe his name off record. These are people I respected. These are people I look up to…it is obvious that Nigeria will not go anywhere soon.’”
“Mr Femi Falana spoke to Bobrisky to divert justice (sic) with a view to perverting justice for financial gains and material benefits.
“Mr. Femi Falana solicited a brief from Bobrisky and thereby contravened the Legal Practitioner Rules of Professional Conduct.
“Mr Femi Falana has participated in a device that constitutes subterfuge in concert with others who you also characterised as corrupt.”
“Mr Falana’s fight against injustice is inconsistent with his publicly acclaimed and validated record of competence, honesty and integrity.”
“Mr Falana, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has engaged in conduct that is incompatible with his professional role and duty as a legal practitioner in Nigeria.”
The chamber described VeryDarkMan’s publication as “a vicious, wicked and reckless ploy to impugn the reputation of our client and lower him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public.”
“You are duty bound to ensure that what you publish and disseminate is credible and factual in every material particular. In other words, you have no right under the law to damage the reputation of any citizen by spreading baseless allegations based on sheer falsehood.”
“Be advised that if we do not receive your formal retraction and apology as demanded within 24 hours of the receipt hereof, we shall proceed with our client’s instructions to seek appropriate legal remedies, including monetary damages, against you for your incendiary publication and dissemination of defamatory statements,” they stated.
