Legal luminary and human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has forcefully denied allegations of involvement in a N15 million bribery scandal with imprisoned crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“I have never met Bobrisky, and he has never spoken to me,” Falana declared during the Thursday interview with Seun Okinbaloye, addressing the controversial allegations that have sparked a parliamentary inquiry.
The senior advocate shed light on the actual interaction between Bobrisky and his son, musician Falz.
“My son told me Bobrisky reached out to him on May 4, asking for N3 million to be placed in a VIP section of the prison, where he was seeking special accommodations,” Falana explained.
According to the renowned lawyer, his son’s response was unequivocal. “My son asked him if he was calling under the authorisation of the prison superintendent, and he said no. My son told him not to call again, as he would not assist in bribing prison authorities.”
The controversy emerged after social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, released an audio recording where Bobrisky allegedly implicated both Falanas in a scheme involving a N10 million payment for a presidential pardon.
Expressing bewilderment at the parliamentary response to the scandal, Falana questioned the House of Representatives’ approach:
“I am surprised that the House of Representatives is pretending to be unaware that there’s a VIP in prison, and they proceeded to set up a panel to assess the state of our correctional centres.”
The legal expert emphasized that existing legislation already addresses such matters:
“The Correctional Service Act of 2019 has made provisions for addressing the misconduct of prison officers.”
Rather than pursuing criminal charges against VeryDarkMan, Falana announced his intention to seek civil remedies.
“We will pursue civil proceedings to restore our integrity, my name, and that of my son, so that no one will recklessly rush to social media to defame any Nigerian,” he stated.
The controversy stems from Bobrisky’s recent legal troubles.
The Explainer had reported, the crossdresser was sentenced to six months imprisonment for Naira abuse, though money laundering charges were dismissed by Federal High Court Judge Abimbola Awogboro in Lagos.
The House of Representatives has summoned various parties involved, including VeryDarkMan, the Nigerian Correctional Service, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Notably, Bobrisky was absent from these proceedings.
Falana, who leads a team of West African lawyers campaigning for the decriminalization of freedom of expression, emphasized the importance of responsible social media use.
“This does not grant a license for defaming or blackmailing others,” he cautioned, adding that his team has requested a retraction and apology from VeryDarkMan.
