*Insists He Didn’t Pay Money To EFCC
*FG Orders Probe Of Prisons Service
*NBA Demands Independent Investigation By AGF, NSA
*I’ll never defame Uncle Femi Falana, says Verydarkman
AGAIN, controversial celebrity cross-dresser, Idris Olarewaju Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, is in the news for the wrong reason.
This time, he is in trouble following his claim in a viral audio released by activist, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, that some unnamed operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) collected N15million bribe from him to drop the money laundering charges against him.
Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in prison in April this year by the Federal High Court in Lagos after pleading guilty to the charge of Naira abuse brought against him by the EFCC and was released on August 5 after serving his terms.
But in a viral audio released by VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky could be heard in a conversation with an unknown person making the claim, as well as that he served his six-month prison term in a flat close to the prisons after one of his mentors spoke to the Prison boss in Abuja.
Bobrisky also claimed in the audio that popular musician, Folarin Falana, also known as Falz, attempted to assist him in securing a pardon from the Presidency through his father, Femi Falana (SAN) for N10million.
However, following the attention the viral audio has attracted from the public and those mentioned, Bobrisky has come out to dismiss it as fake, saying in an Instagram post yesterday claimed that the viral audio was fake and that he did not bribe any EFCC operative and indeed served his jail term inside the prison.
He wrote: “My attention has been drawn to a fake voice recording circulating on the internet that I paid EFCC N15million and that I was never in prison…
“I didn’t pay any EFCC money, which is a very big lie. I served my term in full and I came out. Discard any false information.”
This is as the EFCC, while denying the bribery allegation, said it had constituted a team of investigators to critically look into the allegations.
A statement by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, added: “To this end, the Commission hereby invites both Okuneye and Otse (VeryDarkMan) to make themselves available at its Lagos Directorate to assist investigators unearth the alleged bribery.”
In his own reaction, Falz, in a letter to Verydarkman, demanded an apology for the attempt to tarnish his image, even as he dismissed most of the claims in the audio were false.
“To set the record straight, our client never at any point initiated a conversation with Mr. Idris Okuneye. Our client has documentary evidence that Mr. Okuneye was the one who initiated the call.
“Specifically, on May 4, 2024, Bobrisky contacted our client requesting a phone conversation with him. Our client willingly obliged, believing he might require legal advice regarding the Naira abuse charges against him.
“Mr. Okuneye called shortly after, but instead of seeking legal advice, he stated that he was in distress and needed financial assistance of about N3,000,000 (three million Naira), which he claimed was necessary to pay some officials for permission to stay in the VIP Section of the Correctional Centre.
“Our client advised him that there was no need to pay the officials. However, Mr. Okuneye claimed that his lawyers had mishandled his case by advising him to plead guilty to the charges against him. He insisted on his request for money, which our client continuously disapproved.
“Without contacting our client, you proceeded to publish a careless statement containing multiple allegations, including insinuations that our client is involved in a homosexual affair and intended to secure a presidential pardon for Mr. Okuneye.
“The direct implication of your false, misleading and defamatory statements is that our client, Mr. Folarin Falana (aka Falz), colluded with Bobrisky to obstruct justice for financial gain.
“The entire publication was a vicious, reckless attempt to impugn the reputation of our client and to tarnish his standing in the eyes of right-thinking members of the public.
“We, therefore, demand an immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication, as well as a prominently published apology on all platforms where it has been disseminated, without any justification whatsoever.”
In response to the allegations and claims in the viral audio, the Federal Government has ordered an unconditional and comprehensive investigation into the allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service NCoS.
In a statement in Abuja and signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Babatunde Alao, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, unequivocally condemned the alleged behaviour, emphasising that any form of indiscipline, unprofessionalism and corruption would be met with zero tolerance and severe consequences within the paramilitary services under the ministry.
According to the statement: “The ministry will not tolerate any compromise on its core values of integrity, transparency and accountability.
“We will leave no stone unturned in rooting out corruption and ensuring that those found culpable face the full wrath of the law.
“The minister has called for a special investigative team, headed by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, to probe these allegations and submit a comprehensive report.”
In the same vein, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described the allegation that officials of the EFCC as disturbing.
The association, in a statement signed by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), while commending EFCC for its timely decision to probe the matter, however, demanded an independent investigation by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and National Security Adviser (NSA).
NBA stated that an urgent and thorough investigation was necessary “to determine whether the bribe was paid or are sometimes paid to influence the nature of charges brought against defendants in criminal cases.
“This investigation will also test the transparency of the investigative process and the procedures for charging defendants in court.”
On the claim in the audio against Falana, Osigwe noted: “The NBA acknowledges that applying for a presidential pardon is a legitimate legal recourse available to any convict, as stipulated by law.
“However, it is crucial to clarify that such a process must follow due procedure and be devoid of any form of influence peddling or unethical practices.
“Femi Falana (SAN) is a highly-respected legal practitioner known for his integrity and long-standing commitment to human rights and justice. He has denied the allegation against him.
“The NBA urges the public to refrain from making premature conclusions regarding Mr. Falana’s or indeed any person’s alleged involvement in these matters.
“The NBA reiterates its commitment to upholding justice, fairness and the rule of law. We will continue to support all efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in our prosecutorial, law enforcement and correctional systems.
“We also call for calm and restraint while investigations are carried out, and we assure the public that we will monitor these investigations closely to ensure they are conducted in a transparent and unbiased manner.”
Meanwhile, VeryDarkMan has retracted Bobrisky’s claim concerning Falana , expressing respect for the senior lawyer, saying he only posted the audio recordings to allow for a thorough investigation by relevant authorities into Bobrisky’s allegations, clarifying that he did not defame the legal luminary.
This followed Falz’s threat of a defamation suit against him if he did not apologise and withdraw his comments within 24 hours.
A letter by his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, dated September 25, read: “We’re solicitors to Mr Martins Vincent Otse, now referred to as our client, on whose instruction we act.
“Our client received your letter dated September 25, 2024, on the above subject matter, wherein you demanded the retraction of his Instagram publication containing a voice recording between Mr. Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju (Bobrisky) and a third party.
“Our client denies defaming Mr. Femi Falana, a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) 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 elements of the voice recording have been confirmed by Mr. Folarin Falana in his solicitor’s letter of September 25, 2024.
“Our client holds Mr. Femi Falana in very high esteem and recognises his commitment to the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that our client believes that the appropriate line of action in the circumstance is an inter-agency investigation into the allegations contained in the voice recording rather than pursuing a case of defamation.”
In a Facebook post, Adeyanju urged Falz to focus on Bobrisky, having acknowledged the call, adding: “For Falz, he should go and meet Bob about everything he/she said.
“Falz even admitted to having a phone call with Bob. End of discussion.”
