On Monday, popular social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, publicly apologized to renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, for his recent derogatory remarks and allegations against the senior lawyer.
Appearing before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions, VeryDarkMan clarified that he did not believe Falana was involved in the bribery allegations linked to cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
In his statement, he expressed regret for any misunderstanding his comments may have caused, saying, “Apparently, now, some people are taking advantage of what is going to target Femi Falana. Here, I apologise. It’s so sad that his name was inside that audio. I couldn’t believe as well; that is the part that irritated me more when I said I refuse to believe that he is a party to something like that.”
The apology stems from an audio recording that VeryDarkMan had shared, in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed to have bribed EFCC officials with N15 million to drop money laundering charges. The cross-dresser also alleged that, through her “godfather” and the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, she served a six-month prison sentence in a private apartment rather than in prison.
Following these allegations, VeryDarkMan released a video calling for a thorough investigation into the matter. However, he made it clear that his intention was not to defame Falana, whom he had earlier accused of seeking a presidential pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for N10 million.
In response, Falana’s legal team, through a letter dated September 25, 2024, firmly denied the allegations. The letter, signed by Taiwo E. Olawanle of Falana & Falana’s Chambers, emphasized that Falana had never engaged in any discussion with Bobrisky about a presidential pardon or any other related matter.
The public apology by VeryDarkMan comes amidst heightened attention to the allegations, with many calling for clarity and accountability in the ongoing investigations.