‘I Never Gave Falana, Falz Money To Secure Presidential Pardon; Hold VeryDarkMan Responsible For Defamation,’ Bobrisky Reacts To 12-Hour Retraction Ultimatum

Controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky has denied ever giving money to human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, Folarin Falana, Falz, to secure a presidential pardon for him.

GurutrndsReporters reported on Wednesday that the renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria and his son, in separate letters from their lawyers, had issued a 12-hour ultimatum to Bobrisky to apologise and retract defamatory statements made against them.

In his reaction, Bobrisky denied ownership of the voice in a controversial audio recording.

In the audio shared on social media platforms by a blogger, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, a person said to be Bobrisky claimed that Falana and Falz demanded N10 million to secure a presidential pardon for him following his conviction for naira abuse.

GurutrndsReporters reported on October 15 that a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja Judicial Division had ordered VeryDarkMan to bring down the defamatory video/comments about Falana and Falz, published on all his online social media handles/pages within 21 days.

However, Bobrisky has insisted that the voice in the recording is not his, stating that he never gave Falana and Falz money.

The cross-dresser, in a post on his Instagram page on Wednesday night, maintained his innocence.

He wrote: “I Okuneye Idris aka Bobrisky didn’t give Falz or his dad any money for pardon. As a matter of fact no penny was given to them. Have said dis before and i will say it again.

“The person that published an Audio online should take fully responsible for what he posted in public.

“My lawyer will respond to any further information d public want to about dis ongoing issue trending on social media.”

In September, GurutrndsReporters reported that VeryDarkMan leaked a video recording that purportedly reveals how Bobrisky served his recent jail term outside the prison facility.

According to VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against him.

In the same video, VeryDarkMan alleged that Bobrisky paid N10 million to Falz (Folarin Falana) and his father (Femi Falana) to intercede on his behalf for a presidential pardon.

Following these allegations, the EFCC has launched an investigation into claims that some of its officers accepted N15 million from Bobrisky to dismiss the money laundering charges against him.

Meanwhile, in a pre-action notice filed on September 30, 2024, Femi Falana (SAN), through his counsel, Olorunfemi Akinyemi, Esq., wrote to VeryDarkMan, requesting that he publish an apology to the claimant on all his social media handles/pages for the defamatory statements made in the video in question.

The notice also demands a full retraction of the statements and the removal of all offensive videos from online platforms.

Falz also made similar demands in a pre-action notice.

It said, “We position that our client consider litigation only as a last resort and is not averse to an amicable resolution via any alternative dispute resolution method you deem suitable in the circumstance.

“We request that you publish an apology to the Claimant on all your social media handles/pages for the defamatory words contained in the video complained of and a full retraction of same, including bringing all the offensive videos down online.

“You restrain your online followers, agents or servants or otherwise from further publishing or causing to be published the said similar words/videos defamatory to the Claimant.

“Payment of the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira only) as damages for the defamation of character contained in the online publication of September 24, 2024.”