Folakemi Falana, daughter of the prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana, has strongly refuted allegations of bribery and corruption involving her father and her brother, Nigerian musician and activist Falz, in relation to Bobrisky’s reported prison sentence.
The accusations were made by social media personality Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
In an Instagram post, Folakemi labeled the claims as baseless and defamatory, defending her family’s longstanding commitment to justice.
She highlighted that her parents’ law firm, Falana & Falana, has been applying for presidential pardons for Nigerians free of charge for many years, long before the accusations.
She also expressed her disappointment at how quickly some Nigerians accepted VDM’s accusations, especially those implying Falz’s involvement in bribery, corruption, and even false claims about his sexuality.
Folakemi criticised the public for believing such unfounded rumours, noting that the allegations were not only false but also damaging to the reputations of her family members.
“My Parents and our firm, Falana & Falana have been applying for presidential pardons for Nigerians absolutely FREE way before a lot of you were born or before you could talk. Slide 1 is from 2016 and Slide 2 is from 2022.
“It’s crazy that some Nigerians act like they can’t read or think for themselves. It’s unfortunate.
“It’s even crazier that all it takes is for a ridiculous character like VDM to accuse my dad and Falz of bribery, corruption and perversion of the course of Justice and you suddenly forget who they are and what they stand for. For him to have the audacity to go as far as even accusing Falz of being homosexual and having an affair with Bobrisky is wild. The fact that some of you actually believe it, is what is blowing my mind.
For the record, anyone can write the president to request a pardon for any convicted person in Nigeria. You don’t even need to be a lawyer to apply for a pardon. THAT SAID, BOBRISKY NEVER APPROACHED ANYONE IN MY FAMILY OR OUR FIRM FOR A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON.
“TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, THE FACTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: MY DAD HAS NEVER MET OR TALKED TO BOBRISKY WHETHER DIRECTLY OR VIA A PROXY
“BOBRISKY REACHED OUT TO FALZ THE SAME WAY HE REACHED OUT TO MANY OTHER CELEBRITIES ASKING FOR MONEY. THE REASON HE GAVE WAS SO THAT HE AFFORD TO STAY IN THE VIP SECTION OF PRISON. HE NEVER EVER DISCUSSED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON WITH HIM. HE SAID HE WAS REACHING OUT FROM PRISON FALZ HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE OTHERWISE.
“DO YOU REALLY THINK MY DAD OR FALZ NEED BOB’s MONEY??? FOR WHAT?
“Seeing as you have refused to do the needful, @verydarkblackman see you in court,” she concluded.
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In an Instagram post shared in the early hours of Friday, Folakemi clarified that Falana never met or communicated with Bobrisky.
She said Bobrisky reached out to Falz for financial assistance to stay in the VIP section of prison without discussing a presidential pardon.
The lawyer also disclosed that the Falanas do not need Bobrisky’s money. She attached evidence showing her family’s history of pro-bono work and securing presidential pardons.
Folakemi said she was shocked some Nigerians would believe VeryDarkMan’s “ridiculous” allegations, including claims of Falz having an affair with Bobrisky.
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“My parents and our firm, Falana and Falana, have been applying for presidential pardons for Nigerians absolutely FREE way before a lot of you were born or you could talk. Slide 1 is from 2016 and Slide 2 is from 2022,” she said.
“It’s crazy that some Nigerians act like they can’t read or think for themselves. It’s unfortunate.
“It’s even crazier that all it takes is for a ridiculous character like VDM to accuse my dad and Falz of bribery, corruption and perversion of Justice and you suddenly forget who they are and what they stand for.
“For him to have the audacity to go as far as even accusing Falz of being homosexual and having an affair with Bobrisky is wild. The fact that some of you believe it, is what is blowing my mind.”
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Folakemi added: “Seeing as you have refused to do the needful, @verydarkblackman see you in court”.
VERYDARKMAN REPLIES FOLAKEMI
In his reaction, VeryDarkMan, through Deji Adeyanju, his legal representative, denied putting out a defamatory statement against the human rights lawyer.
The activist clarified that releasing the voice recordings was to prompt a thorough investigation into Bobrisky’s allegations, not to defame Falana.
VeryDarkMan, however, did not apologise or retract the statement as requested, arguing that nobody was defamed
In his response, the activist wondered why the Falana family “chose to attack” him instead of joining forces to combat corruption.
VeryDarkMan also asked Folakemi if she expected him to exclude Falana and Falz’s names due to personal relationships.
He said he remains “unbothered” and is prepared for any consequences, including legal action from the Falanas.
Speaking occasionally in pidgin English, he also emphasized his focus on exposing corruption and not targeting individuals.
“My sister, this thing you just posted now, is what would have been posted earlier so that we can all join hands and face the corruption that was revealed,” he said in a video shared on Instagram.
“It’s amazing how you people went from corruption and you people went for me that exposed the corruption. It’s just crazy. A recording that exposed a lot of atrocities that might have been going on for a long time that we just discovered.
“Imagine Bobrisky on a call saying that he paid N15 million to EFCC to drop the money laundering charge. That should be disturbing to all Nigerians, for crying out loud.
“Imagine Bobrisky said that, instead of taking him to prison, one godfather called that they should give him an apartment outside the prison. That is disturbing and worrisome. To think that some people that we thought were persecuted, are outside chilling. Do you people even understand the problem inside that thing that was released?
“But instead of us to join hands to fight against this corruption, against this agency that partook in this corruption, everybody is coming—you are coming for me because you said your father’s name was mentioned.
“Was your father’s name not in the recording? Na me chook Femi Falana’s name for the recording? Na me chook Falz name for the recording?
“The only thing I said: If their name, if this turns out to be true, I will not have any more respect for them, you understand. IF… and I even went on to say that I refuse to believe — I refuse to believe. Wetin I talk wey dey there? Next thing, Falz go drop letter say if I no retract… retract what? Na me put your name there? What did I say there?
“Now you dey say you wan take me go court, there is no problem. There is no problem, highest—give or take, if e too bad— you lock me up for six months. If e too bad sef, you lock me up for one year.
“… tomorrow now you’ll come and say you dey fight for human rights. But, I don’t care. If eventually, if at the end of the day una throw me enter cell, there’s no problem. I swear to God I am not bothered.
“I respect Uncle Femi Falana and I still respect him. What you people would have done was to remove his name from it. But you people did not even address Bobrisky, you did not say anything about Bobrisky. Bobrisky, at the end of the day, you people actually got on a call
