BREAKING: Falana, Falz give Bobrisky 12-hour ultimatum to apologies, retract defamatory claims

Human rights advocate and attorney, Femi Falana, along with his son, Folarin, known in the entertainment world as Falz, are demanding a public retraction and apology from the well-known crossdresser Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky. This follows the emergence of audio recordings that contain defamatory remarks about them.

In one of the recordings shared by controversial media commentator Martin Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky alleged he had reached out to Falz for help in persuading his father (Falana) to arrange a presidential pardon, which he claimed would require N10 million. He further alleged that he solicited N3 million from Falz for preferential treatment at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

In another audio clip, Bobrisky claimed to have paid N5 million to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in hopes of securing a pardon from the Federal Government over charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

However, in a letter dated October 14, 2024, from Falana’s attorneys, Olorunfemi Akinyemi and Taiwo E. Olawanle, it was asserted that Bobrisky’s statements about Falana and Falz’s alleged complicity in bribery and pardon requests were false and defamatory. The legal team condemned the claims as baseless and harmful to Falana’s reputation, demanding a full retraction and public apology on all platforms where the statements were made.

The letter stated, “We represent Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Mr. Folarin Falana, aka Falz, regarding your slanderous remarks. We have evidence that you exploited your recent incarceration to solicit funds from various artists and members of the public.

On May 4, 2024, you contacted Mr. Folarin Falana and requested N3 million for special treatment at Kirikiri Correctional Centre. Although Falz refused, you falsely asserted in a video that he had stated his father would write a pardon letter for you, and that N10 million was required to bribe officials for this process.”

The letter continued, “In another video, you claimed to have paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for a pardon related to charges from the EFCC. You alleged that this advocate had initially asked for N10 million but you were unable to provide the entire amount due to a frozen account.”

Falana’s legal team clarified that no such discussions occurred and accused Bobrisky of attempting to extort money while damaging Falana’s professional standing. They emphasized that Bobrisky’s claims were entirely fabricated.

“You have even listed individuals who believed your false narrative and contributed significant amounts, purportedly for our client to assist in writing a pardon letter and bribing officials on your behalf. In reality, your involvement of our client in your illicit schemes is purely fictional.”

The letter further stated that Bobrisky had never consulted Falana or asked him to write a pardon letter, dismissing the claim of a N5 million payment as completely unfounded.

“It is evident that you made these defamatory statements recklessly, fully aware that you did not reach out to our client for a pardon request. Our client has NEVER communicated with you regarding your pardon or any other issue,” the attorneys asserted.

The letter highlighted that Falana has successfully secured pardons for over 300 individuals convicted in Nigeria, Libya, Thailand, and The Gambia on a pro bono basis, and that Bobrisky’s statements have harmed his reputation both domestically and internationally.

Consequently, they called for an immediate retraction of the defamatory remarks and a prominently featured apology on all platforms where the falsehoods were shared.

“If we do not receive your formal retraction and apology within 12 hours of receiving this letter, we will pursue legal action for your damaging statements,” they warned.

In related news, the Lagos State High Court has directed VeryDarkMan to remove defamatory comments and videos regarding Falana and his son from his social media accounts.