12-Hour Deadline: Falz, Falana Want Bobrisky to Retract N10m Allegation

Falz, Falana Take On Bobrisky Over N10m Pardon Claim

“You will agree with us that you made all these defamatory statements in a reckless manner...”

Bobrisky accused of defamation: Falz and Falana issue ultimatum over N10m pardon claim.

Femi Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer, and his singer son, Falz (Folarin Falana), have given controversial crossdresser Bobrisky (Idris Okuneye) a 12-hour ultimatum to retract defamatory claims.

Bobrisky alleged in a leaked audio that Falana and Falz sought N10 million to secure a presidential pardon. The claim surfaced in September after social media activist Martins Otse (VeryDarkMan) shared the recording.

Bobrisky initially claimed Falz contacted him on behalf of his father to facilitate the pardon.

Additionally, in a new audio Martins Vincent Otse VeryDarkMan leaked in October, Bobrisky alleged that his godfather paid N5 million to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to secure a presidential pardon for him.

While Bobrisky had mentioned Falz and his father in the first audio, he did not disclose the name of the SAN who received the N5 million payment. In the new audio, he alleged that the senior advocate submitted the pardon request to President Bola Tinubu on his behalf.

But in response, Falana and his son denied ever contacting Bobrisky regarding a presidential pardon. Falana emphasised that he has never charged for such services, stating that his children referred clients to him without seeking any payment.

However, in a new development, Falana and Falz, in a cease-and-desist letter issued through Falana and Falana's Chamber, described Bobrisky's allegations as baseless and damaging to their reputation. The cease-and-desist dated 14 October was signed by Olorunfemi Akinyemi and Taiwo E. Olawanle from the law firm.

Falana and Falz's legal team demanded that Bobrisky:

1. Retract his defamatory statements
2. Issue a public apology

The apology must be published on all platforms where the original statements were made. Bobrisky has 12 hours to comply.

“We, therefore, demand the immediate retraction of the defamatory and derogatory statements as well as an apology prominently aired or published on all the platforms to which you have disseminated the offensive statement without any justification whatsoever.

”Be advised that if we do not receive your formal retraction and apology as demanded within 12 (twelve) hours of the receipt hereof, we shall proceed with our client's instructions to seek appropriate legal remedies, including monetary damages, against you for your incendiary defamatory statements. We hope that the salient issues raised herein will urgently be addressed by you in your interest,” the letter read in part.

Bobrisky's actions were deemed a “reckless attempt to exploit»Falana and Falz's reputation for personal financial gain, according to their legal team.

The team dismissed Bobrisky's claims as “fabricated” and “pure fantasy,” stating that involving Falana and Falz in alleged criminal activity was simply a product of Bobrisky's imagination.

Additionally, the lawyers emphasized that Bobrisky never requested their clients to draft a pardon letter on his behalf, contradicting his initial claims.

“In particular, you never spoke to our client or instructed him to write a letter of pardon for you. Furthermore, you did not make a partial payment of N5,000,000 to our client and our client never informed you that he had submitted a letter of pardon on your behalf. You will agree with us that you made all these defamatory statements in a reckless manner when you knew that you did not call our client on the phone to instruct him to write a letter of pardon on your behalf. Our client has never spoken to you on your pardon or any subject whatsoever.

“Having regard to the fact that our client has secured pardon for not less than 300 Nigerians convicted by military and civilian courts in Nigeria, Libya, Thailand and The Gambia on a pro bono basis, your defamatory statements have severely damaged his reputation at home and abroad,” the letter read.

Falana and Falz issued a cease-and-desist order concurrently with a Lagos State High Court ruling against VeryDarkMan.

On Monday, Justice M.O. Dawodu ordered VeryDarkMan to delete defamatory content targeting Falana and his son within 21 days.

The ruling responded to Falana's preliminary application seeking protective measures against VeryDarkMan's continued defamation.

Justice M.O. Dawodu ruled in favor of Falana on Monday, granting protective measures against VeryDarkMan's defamation.

The court ordered VeryDarkMan to remove and stop circulating defamatory content about Falana and Falz, initially posted on September 24.

The content also falsely claimed EFCC officials received N15 million to drop money laundering charges against Bobrisky.

Allegations surrounding the Nigerian Correctional Service's (NCOS) handling of Bobrisky's imprisonment have sparked intense public debate. Specifically, there are claims that NCOS accepted bribes to place Bobrisky in VIP custody instead of a regular prison cell. These allegations have prompted investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), NCOS, and the House of Representatives.

In April, the EFCC arrested Bobrisky on six counts of money laundering and Naira abuse. During his trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Judge Abimbola Awogboro dismissed money laundering charges five and six at the EFCC's request. However, Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison for Naira abuse.

Charges Against Bobrisky:

• Count One: Tampering with N400,000 Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying them at a social event.
• Count Two: Tampering with N50,000 Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying them at another social event.
• Bobrisky pleaded guilty to the charges and was found guilty by Judge Awogboro.

Judge Abimbola Awogboro sentenced Bobrisky to six months in prison without the option of a fine, citing the need for deterrence against Naira mutilation.

Bobrisky began serving his sentence on March 24 and was released from Kirikiri Correctional Centre on August 5, after completing his six-month term.