Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has denied claims that Crossdresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, sought his help in securing a presidential pardon during a jail term.
This clarification was made in a letter from his legal team, Falana & Falana’s Chambers, signed by Taiwo E. Olawanle, Esq., and dated September 25, 2024.
The denial follows an audio conversation shared by media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed he had reached out to Femi Falana and his son, Falz, to facilitate a presidential pardon.
Read Also: EFCC Invites Bobrisky, VeryDarkMan, Gives Strong Reason
VeryDarkMan, speaking via his Twitter account on Tuesday, expressed disappointment in Falana, accusing him of “colluding with Bobrisky to obstruct justice.” The influencer also alleged that Bobrisky had offered N10 million to secure the legal assistance for the pardon.
In response, Falana’s Chambers dismissed the allegations as attempts to tarnish the reputation of both Femi Falana and his son.
The legal team also issued a 24-hour ultimatum to VeryDarkMan, demanding the retraction of the comments and a public apology.
“We are Counsel to 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 (Ten million naira only).
“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 (Ten Million Naira) in order to wipe his name of record. These are people I respected. These are people I look up to…it is obvious that Nigeria will not go anywhere soon.
“The direct meaning of the imputation, and/or innuendo contained in the false, misleading and defamatory statements is that:
“1. Mr Femi Falana is deceitful and that his motivation for fighting against injustice and corruption in Nigeria and the entire Africa is a ruse.
“2. Mr Femi Falana spoke to Bobrisky to divert justice with a view to perverting justice for financial gains and material benefits.
3. Mr. Femi Falana solicited a brief from Bobrisky and thereby contravened the Legal Practitioner Rules of Professional Conduct.
4. Mr Femi Falana has participated in a device that constitutes subterfuge in concert with others who you also characterized as corrupt.
5. Mr Falana’s fight against injustice is inconsistent with his publicly acclaimed and validated record of competence, honesty and integrity.
6. Mr Falana who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria has engaged in conduct that is incompatible with his profession role and duty as a legal practitioner in Nigeria.
“The entire publication was 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.
“WE WISH TO STATE, WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF CONTRADICTION, THAT OUR CLIENT HAS NEVER, IN HIS LIFE, SPOKEN TO BOBRISKY ON HIS ALLEGED PARDON OR ON ANY MATTER WHATSOEVER,” the letter wrote.
Folarin Falana, also known as Falz, son of Femi Falana, has also refuted the claims, clarifying that the only conversation he had with Bobrisky involved the latter requesting N3 million to secure a VIP section at Kirikiri prison.
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2Z
Wahala son tie wrapper for VDM ooo.
I wonder who’d rescue him this time.
He has obviously crossed the lines !