Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, and his son, Folarin, have called on popular cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, to immediately retract defamatory and derogatory statements linking them to an alleged N10 million bribe.
The Falanas also demanded a public apology across all platforms where the false accusations were shared.
In a letter dated October 14, 2024, issued by their legal representatives, Olorunfemi Akinyemi and Taiwo Olawanle, the Falanas gave Bobrisky 12 hours from receiving the letter to issue the retraction and apology. Failure to do so would result in the Falanas pursuing legal action, including seeking monetary damages for the defamatory statements.
The letter reads in part: “It has come to our attention that you exploited your recent imprisonment to extort money from artists and the public. You claimed in a video that you had spoken to Mr. Folarin Falana, also known as Falz, on May 4, 2024, and asked him for N3 million to secure a special place in Kirikiri Correctional Centre. Even though Falz declined, you falsely stated that his father, our client, had agreed to write a letter of pardon for you and that N10 million was needed to bribe officials for processing the application.”
The letter also addresses another video in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed to have paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to secure a Federal Government pardon from charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Bobrisky further alleged that the lawyer had initially requested N10 million for his services but accepted the partial payment after learning that Bobrisky’s accounts had been frozen.
The Falanas firmly denied these accusations, stating, “You fabricated this entire story to enrich yourself at the expense of our client’s reputation. You never spoke to or instructed our client to write a letter of pardon for you, nor did you make any payment to him. Your claims are entirely false and damaging to our client, who has provided pro bono legal assistance to over 300 Nigerians convicted by military and civilian courts.”
The letter demands an immediate retraction of the defamatory statements and a public apology, warning that if Bobrisky fails to comply within 12 hours, the Falanas will pursue legal action for damages.
The letter concludes by urging Bobrisky to address the matter promptly, “in your own interest.”