Controversial human rights activist, Verydarkman has made a a dramatic U-turn, apologizing to Femi Falana, and insisting that Falz should clear himself.
The ongoing social media frenzy involving Bobrisky, EFCC, Femi Falana, and his son, Falz unfolded after Verydarkman released an audio of Bobrisky revealing details about his dealings with EFCC during his prosecution for money laundering charges.
On the audio recordings, Bobrisky allegedly claimed that he bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with N15m to drop the money laundering charge against him
The recordings also suggested that Falz and his father, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), intervened in Bobrisky’s case and further sought a N10M bribe from the crossdresser.
Sharing the audio, VDM wrote;
“In everything and everyone that is mentioned here,l will be very dis^ppo!noted if truly FALZ and his
father are involved in this whole bobrisky issue,did they know about the lie of him being in prison,like
how? And @officialefcc you must produce the officers that did this dealing, after this Nigeria no go
surprise me again, PART 2 LOADING”.
In response to the VDM’s claim, Falz narrated that Bobrisky had reached out seeking assistance to influence his stay in the VIP session of the correctional centre, but Falz merely offered advice.
Femi Falana’s representatives also issued an official statement demanding that Verydarkman retract the defamatory allegations, also threatening potential legal actions.
In the legal document posted to Falz’s Instagram on September 25, 2024, Verydarkman’s statement, “In everything and everyone that is mentioned here, I will be disappointed if truly FALZ and his father are involved in this whole Bobrisky issue,” was highlighted.
It read in part, “The entire publication was 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, therefore, demand an immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication as well as an apology prominently published on all the platforms to which you have disseminated it without any justification whatsoever.”
Read the full publication below:
In response, Verydarkman posted a video denying defamatory claims against Femi Falana and affirming his respect for the SAN. VDM said he held the senior Lawyer in ‘very high esteem’ and that he recognised Falana’s commitment to the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria.
But VDMmaintained that Falz ought to use the opportunity of his revelation to initiate investigation and clear his name from the Bobrisky scandal instead of pursuing a case of defamation against him in court.
VeryDarkMan made the disclosure in a letter by his lawyer, Barr. Deji Adeyanju which read;
“We are Solicitors to Mr. Martins Vincent Otse (hereinafter referred to as our client) on whose instruction we act.
“Our client is in receipt of your letter dated September 25, 2024, on the above subject matter wherein you demanded for 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, 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.
“Our client holds Mr. Femi Falana, SAN in very high esteem and recognises his commitment to the protection of human rights and 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 interagency investigation into the allegations contained in the voice recording, rather than pursuing a case of defamation.”
Watch him speak here.
By Ezinne Okorie.
