Famous Nigerian lawyer and musician son deny involvement in $9k cash for pardon scandal involving LGBT activist Vlogger apologises for publication after threat
A well known Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist Femi Falana who rose to prominence in the 1990s when he defended the late afrobeat star Fela Anikulapo Kuti who was facing a murder charge, has denied involvement in a N15m cash for pardon scandal involving an LGBT activist Idris Okuneye known as Bobrisky, Wednesday.
In a letter to a prominent vlogger known as verydarkman real name Martins Vincent Otse, who earlier leaked the conversation between Bobrisky and an unknown caller discussing the role Falana and his son Folarin the musican known as Falz, played in his eventual release from federal custody on money laundering charges.
“In publishing the statement on several online platforms, you informed your large viewership that Mr. Femi Falana “spoke to Bobrisky in order to divert justice. Your publication contained multiple allegations and that you did not expect Mr Femi Falana, who was a lawyer to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, whom
everyone respects to “engage in something like this? Your publication further alleged that Mr Femi Falana SAN wanted to get a presidential pardon for Bobrisky for the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten million
Naira only).” The letter read.
In the viral video Otse had remarked “I don’t even believe that Femi Falana would bring himself down to
this level, the whole Femi Falana would engage himself with something like this…the man started the pardon and he said he wanted to send it to the Minister of Justice in Abuja who will send it to the president to approve it but you know Nigeria with corruption.”
Femi Falana (L) with Fela (M) and his younger brother Beko Ransome Kuti during the murder trial in 1993
“Femi FALANA collected N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) in order to wipe his name off record. These are people I respected. These are people I look up to…it is obvious that Nigeria will not go anywhere soon.” The famous vlogger stated.
The solicitor for Falana called the publication a “vicious, wicked and reckless ploy to impugn the reputation of our client and lower him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public. WE WISH TO STATE, WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF CONTRADICTION, THAT OUR CLIENT HAS NEVER, IN HIS LIFE, SPOKEN TO BROBRISKY ON HIS ALLEGED PARDON OR ON ANY MATTER WHATSOEVER.”
Falana then demanded an apology and retraction within 24 hours. his son Folarin admitted in his letter through his solicitors Wednesday that Bobrisky initiated the call and the LGBT activist wanted N3m to pay prison officials so he could stay in the VIP section of the correctional centre. Folarin was unhappy that Otse insinuated that he has a romantic relationship with Bobrisky. Just like his father the musician known as Falz demanded an apology and retraction or face legal action.
Otse in response through his lawyer said. “Our client denies defaming Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria and globally recognised human rights activist, but asserts that he only published the said communication with a view to getting the relevant agencies, and even your client, to initiate a thorough investigation into the far reaching allegations made by Mr. Okuneye in the said voice
recording, especially as some element of the voice recording has been confirmed by Mr. Folarin Falana in his solicitor’s letter of September 25, 2024.”
The vlogger also stated that Falana should use his good offices to call for an “investigation into the
allegations contained in the voice recording, rather than pursuing a case of defamation.”
The LGBT star on his part has denied the voice recording in an Instagram post, Wednesday “My attention has been drawn to a fake voice recording circulating on the internet that I paid EFCC 15 million naira and that I was never in prison. 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.”
While the Minister of the Interior and the director of the anti-graft agency Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have launched investigations into the allegation regarding prison accommodation and bribery of EFCC officials is on. It should be recalled that in 1993, Falana got the late afrobeat musician Fela Kuti off a murder charge.
Fela as he was popularly known was arrested after police recovered a dead body from his house. The police were tipped off after an employee of the musician called Sanwo Shokoya was flogged to death on Fela’s orders after he was accused and “found guilty” of embezzlement.
Bobrisky
During trial at the high court the police were alleged to have collected bribes from Fela though Falana who acted as an intermediary. It was high stakes as a guilty verdict would have resulted in Fela’s execution by hanging.
The police then refused to co-operate with the prosecution despite the mountain of evidence in the case file. There were photographs, forensic evidence, autopsy reports and statements that contradicted Fela ‘s defence that police took a “sick boy” from his house and not a “dead body” as alleged.
The judge had no choice than to strike out the charge as the police detectives were not co-operating with justice.
Akowe with reports from Lagos