Politics
By Anthony Isibor
THE controversy surrounding the allegations made by Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, VDM against Femi Falana, SAN, and his son Folarin Falana, known as Falz took a new twist on Wednesday when they issued VDM a 24-hour ultimatum to retract alleged defamatory statements made against them or face legal actions.
The ultimatum was issued through a letter from Falana & Falana Chambers, demanding an immediate retraction and apology for the claims made in a September 25, 2024 post on Instagram accusing Falana of attempting to secure a presidential pardon for Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky in exchange for N10,000,000.
However, the letter strongly refuted the accusations, noting that the statements were “false, misleading, and defamatory”, and emphasized that Falana has never communicated with Bobrisky regarding any matter, let alone sought a presidential pardon for the crossdresser.
The issue began on Tuesday when VDM released a leaked audio conversation of Bobrisky, a crossdresser narrating to a friend how the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, collected N15 million bribe to remove the money laundry charges brought against him.
In the audio conversation, Bobrisky also narrated how Falz and his father Femi Falana, had facilitated another bribery that ensured that he didn’t go to prison after he was sentenced by the court, but instead was placed in an apartment by the Nigeria Prisons.
In addition, the letter stated: “To set the records straight, our client never at any point initiated a conversation with Idris Okuneye, our client has documentary evidence that Idris was in fact the one who initiated a call.”
Although Bobrisky has taken to Instagram on Wednesday morning to refute the accusations, describing the viral audio record as outrightly fake and misleading, the EFCC has invited VeryDarkMan and Bobrisky over the bribery allegations against its officials.
Reacting to the audio, the crossdresser said that the recording was “fake,” arguing that she did not pay any amount to the EFCC.
The crossdresser also insisted that he served his term in prison.
“My attention has been drawn to a fake voice recording circulating on the internet that I paid EFCC N15 million and that I was never in prison,” she or he wrote on Instagram.##
“I didn’t pay any EFCC money; it is a very big lie. I served my term in full and I came out. Discard any false information.”
Meanwhile, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has already ordered an immediate investigation into the matter while assuring the public that the allegations would be thoroughly investigated and the result of the findings made public accordingly.
Realnews reports that the issue began when VDM released a leaked audio conversation of the Bobrisky saying: “You know I’m a very big influencer. I have over 5 million followers on Instagram and Facebook, and Facebook pays me every month. Despite that, they (EFCC) claimed I couldn’t afford the [N150m] house I live in. EFCC charged me with money laundering and took me to court. We pleaded with them, asking how much it would cost to drop the money laundering charges, and EFCC said N15 million.
“I couldn’t use my account because I’m still under investigation and can’t withdraw or transfer funds. So, I called a few friends. One of them was Elele, and I asked him which account I should use to send the money. I gave him my brother’s account, and he transferred N8 million. I also called Demola in the US, and he immediately sent N1 million. Other people I trust sent money in, and we gathered the full amount (N15m); we gave them the money, and they (the EFCC) dropped the money laundering charge and took me to court for Naira abuse.”
“The whole issue started when they gave me the Best Dressed Female award. There’s jealousy involved, and when I got to court, I admitted guilt, hoping for either a fine or community service. However, the court sentenced me. On my way to prison, my Godfather called and assured me I wouldn’t enter prison. He told me not to worry and said he would arrange an apartment near the prison and speak to the Comptroller General of Prisons in Abuja.
“After they spoke, I was taken back and brought to an apartment where I was told not to come out until I finished my sentence. They informed the guy at the apartment that their boss instructed them to keep me there and not to let me leave. The guy said he’d collect N10 million, so I had to call Elele again. Elele gave me N2 million because there was no one else to call,” he added.
Following the audio record, VDM expressed displeasure at the EFCC, Nigerian Prison Service, Falz and his father, who he said, he held in very high esteem and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Recall that the EFCC had arrested Bobrisky in April on six counts of money laundering and Naira mutilation, however, during his trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice Abimbola Awogboro, dismissed the money laundering charges, counts five and six and sentenced Bobrisky to six months in prison for Naira abuse.
The judge imposed a six-month prison sentence without the option of a fine, stating that the crossdresser sentence would serve as a deterrent for others who mutilate the Naira.
Bobrisky began his jail term on March 24,and was released from Kirikiri Correctional Centre on August 5, after serving a six-month jail term.
A.I
Sept. 26, 2024
Tags: Bobrisky . EFCC Falz Femi Falana Folarin Falana Martins Vincent Otse VDM VeryDarkMan
