Folakemi Falana, daughter of prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana, has issued a strong rebuttal to recent allegations of bribery and corruption involving her family.
The accusations, made by social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, suggest that Femi Falana, her brother, rapper and activist Falz, and Nigerian socialite Bobrisky were involved in a scheme that secured Bobrisky’s release from prison.
In an Instagram post on Friday, Folakemi dismissed the claims, clarifying that her father has never had any interaction with Bobrisky. She explained that while Bobrisky did reach out to Falz, it was not for legal assistance but rather for financial help to improve his conditions while in prison. According to Folakemi, there was never any discussion about securing a presidential pardon for Bobrisky.
To back up her claims, Folakemi shared documents showing that the Falana family law firm, Falana & Falana, has been offering free applications for presidential pardons for Nigerian convicts since 2016. She emphasized that these services are provided without charge, noting that any Nigerian can request a pardon on behalf of a convicted person.
Frustrated with the ease with which some Nigerians accepted the baseless allegations, Folakemi also addressed rumors about Falz’s sexuality and an alleged relationship with Bobrisky, calling the accusations “wild” and “ridiculous.”
In her Instagram statement, she wrote:
“My parents and our firm, Falana & Falana, have been applying for presidential pardons for Nigerians FREE of charge, way before a lot of you were born or even knew how to talk. It’s crazy that some Nigerians act like they can’t read or think for themselves. The fact that some of you believe VDM’s ridiculous accusations against my father and Falz, accusing them of bribery, corruption, and even homosexuality, is beyond me.”
Folakemi further clarified the sequence of events, stating:
“For the record: 1) My dad has never met or spoken to Bobrisky, either directly or through anyone else. 2) Bobrisky reached out to Falz, as he did with many other celebrities, asking for money. He wanted funds to secure better treatment in prison, specifically to stay in the VIP section. There was no discussion about a presidential pardon. 3) Do you seriously believe my father or Falz need Bobrisky’s money? For what?”
Folakemi also hinted at possible legal action against VeryDarkMan, ending her statement with:
“Since you’ve refused to do the right thing, #verydarkblackman, see you in court.”
See her post below;
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAZgr4XoseY/?igsh=MTY5N2gzOTFwNWMwYw==
The controversy erupted after VeryDarkMan released audio clips in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed that Femi Falana orchestrated a ₦10 million deal to secure his release from prison. In response, Falz has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to VeryDarkMan, demanding the removal of all defamatory statements made against him and his family. Should the influencer fail to comply, legal proceedings are expected to follow.
