Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has denied accusations linking him and his son, Falz, to a bribery scheme involving controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky.
The accusations stem from a leaked audio recording, where Bobrisky allegedly claimed that Falana and his son offered to help secure a presidential pardon in exchange for a N10 million payment while Bobrisky was in prison.
Speaking in an interview on Channels TV Politics Today on Thursday, Falana addressed the bribery claims for the first time, firmly denying any contact with Bobrisky. “I have never met Bobrisky, and he has never spoken to me,” Falana stated. He went on to explain that his son, Falz, had been contacted by Bobrisky in May, asking for N3 million to arrange for special treatment in prison, which Falz refused.
Falana recounted the details of the conversation between Bobrisky and his son. “My son told me Bobrisky reached out to him on 4 May, asking for N3 million to be placed in a VIP section of the prison, where he was seeking special accommodations,” Falana said. “My son asked him if he was calling under the authorisation of the prison superintendent, and when Bobrisky said no, my son told him not to call again and warned him to be cautious, as he was already in jail for an offence.”
Falz had also publicly responded to the allegations, demanding an apology and retraction from social media influencer Martins ‘VeryDarkMan’ Otse, who had initially shared the leaked audio, within 24 hours.
Falana Surprised by House of Reps Probe
Falana expressed surprise at the decision by the House of Representatives to set up a committee to investigate claims that Bobrisky served his sentence in a VIP section of the prison. The lawyer found it hard to believe that the House was unaware of the existence of VIP sections in Nigerian prisons.
“I am surprised that the House of Representatives is pretending to be unaware that there’s a VIP section in prison, and they proceeded to set up a panel to assess the state of our correctional centres,” Falana said. He added that the Correctional Service Act of 2019 already addresses the misconduct of prison officers, making the investigation unnecessary.
Earlier reports indicated that the House of Representatives summoned VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to a panel to discuss the allegations. While Bobrisky failed to attend, the other parties were present and shared their versions of events.
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No Criminal Complaint
Falana also refuted claims that Falz had attempted to negotiate a N10 million bribe with Bobrisky for a presidential pardon. He emphasized that he had secured pardons for many convicts without charging fees. Despite the defamatory nature of the allegations, Falana stated he would not pursue criminal charges against VeryDarkMan, citing his commitment to defending freedom of expression across West Africa.
“I have resisted the temptation to file a criminal complaint because I lead a team of West African lawyers campaigning for decriminalising freedom of expression,” Falana explained. He noted that although freedom of expression is essential, it should not be abused to defame others. “But this does not grant a license for defaming or blackmailing others,” he said, adding that he would pursue civil proceedings to restore his and his son’s reputations.
Falana emphasized that his legal action would set an example for those who use social media to spread baseless allegations. “We want to set an example with this case. We have requested a retraction and an apology, which we believe is not too much to ask. Since neither has been provided, we expect him [VeryDarkMan] to initiate civil proceedings in the High Court,” he stated.
The accusations against Falana and his son have drawn significant attention, highlighting the dangers of false information spreading on social media. In the broader context of the case, Bobrisky had previously been arrested by the EFCC on money laundering charges and sentenced to six months in prison for Naira abuse, though some charges were dismissed during his trial.