The leisure business, and certainly the nation, has been gripped by the intriguing allegation that controversial cross dresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, resided in an residence whereas he was presupposed to be serving a six-month sentence on the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Apapa, Lagos.
Early within the week, a controversial social media persona, Vincent Otse, popularly generally known as VeryDarkMan, had launched a recorded voice name between Bobrisky and one other man. Within the name, Bobrisky had alleged that he was in an residence, and that widespread rapper, Folarin Falana, aka Falz, was making an attempt to assist him safe a presidential pardon.
The way it began
The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee arrested Okuneye in April on six counts of cash laundering and Naira mutilation.
He had sprayed cash on the premiere of ‘Ajakaju’, a film by actress and producer, Eniola Ajao, at Movie One Circle Mall, in Lekki. At that very same occasion, he was declared the ‘greatest dressed feminine’.
Throughout his trial on the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Lagos, Justice Abimbola Awogboro sentenced Okuneye to 6 months in jail for Naira abuse, with out the choice of a high-quality, to function a deterrent to others who mutilate the Naira.
Okuneye started his jail time period on March 24 and resurfaced in public on August 5.
VDM fingers Falz, father, EFCC, NCoS
In the course of the week, VDM acknowledged that Falz and his father, Femi Falana (SAN) had a case to reply for allegedly making an attempt to safe the pardon for Bobrisky.
Within the audio, a voice that was mentioned to be Bobrisky’s was heard telling the opposite particular person on the decision how the EFCC collected N15m from him to drop the cash laundering cost within the case constructed towards him. He additionally acknowledged that he was taken to an residence near the jail the place she stayed hidden for six months.
The voice mentioned, “On my solution to jail, my godfather known as and warranted me I wouldn’t enter jail. He advised me to not fear and mentioned he would prepare an residence close to the jail and converse to the Comptroller Basic of Prisons in Abuja.
“After they spoke, I used to be taken again and dropped at an residence the place I used to be advised to not come out till I completed my sentence. They knowledgeable the man on the residence that their boss instructed them to maintain me there and to not let me depart.”
Recent out of jail
Instantly after his return to social media, many had voiced the opinion thar Bobrisky appeared too good for somebody that was presupposed to have been jail for months.
To have a good time his freedom, he had even thrown a celebration, shortly after which he made a submit on Instagram about how prime celebrities had contributed a complete of N18.7m to him. He listed names reminiscent of Eniola Ajao (N6m), Funke Akindele and Tiwa Savage (N2.5m every), Tonto Dikeh and Moyo Lawal (N1m every), amongst others.
Falz responds
Falz, in an announcement launched by his father’s chambers, which represents him, responded to VDM’s allegations. He confirmed within the assertion that Bobrisky reached out to him on Could 4 to ask for N3m to safe a VIP area within the jail, however he denied giving any type of help to him.
The ‘That is Nigeria’ rapper additionally issued a 24-hour ultimatum to VDM to retract and apologise for the alleged defamatory statements made towards him.
Within the letter signed by his authorized counsel, Taiwo Olawanle, Falz demanded the withdrawal and retraction of the defamatory statements printed on September 25, 2024, on VeryDarkMan’s Instagram web page. Falz mentioned VDM risked a lawsuit, together with potential financial damages if he didn’t apologise inside the mentioned timeframe.
The letter learn partially, “The direct which means, imputation, purport, and innuendo of the false, deceptive and defamatory assertion is that our consumer, Mr Folarin Falana (aka Falz), conspired with Bobrisky to pervert the reason for justice for monetary features, participated in a corrupt scheme, and is deceitful in his activism.
“We, subsequently, demand an instantaneous retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication in addition to an apology prominently printed on all of the platforms to which you might have disseminated it.”
EFCC begins investigation
The EFCC additionally ordered an investigation into the bribery allegations and invited VeryDarkMan and Bobrisky to help within the investigation.
Nonetheless, VDM maintained that he didn’t defame Falz. In one other video he posted on social media, he alleged that the rapper known as him on the telephone, and tried to bait him on document. He mentioned Falz needs to be suing Bobrisky (who made the declare) and never him. He insisted that he had nothing to apologise for and added that they might meet in court docket.
VDM afraid for his life – Lawyer
VDM’s authorized consultant, Deji Adeyanju, acknowledged that VDM has been on the transfer from one place to a different as he can’t go residence as a result of sequence of threats he had been receiving because the controversy began.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, he mentioned, “He’s transferring from one place to the opposite, he can’t go residence due to the sequence of threats he has been receiving however we’re optimistic that he might be high-quality.”
Reacting to Falz’s ultimatum, Adeyanju mentioned, “I’m optimistic that discovered silk (Falana SAN) wouldn’t press on the matter though VDM believes that he has not made any defamatory remarks towards him. Falana is my mentor and the plan is to not go face to face with him in court docket. VDM has written to him and now we have expressed how a lot we revere him. VDM is our consumer who now we have been working for professional bono on a number of points together with the try to criminalise free speech the place he has expressed himself towards sure individuals who really feel uncomfortable together with his advocacy and related points.”
On if VDM had additional proof to again up among the issues he mentioned, Adeyanju opined, “He isn’t an investigator and that’s the reason the related authorities have mentioned that they are going to examine so let’s wait and see.
“The cross dresser is a flippant one that has spoken to so many individuals and VDM has these recordings. The individuals he made these calls to are alive, so investigations might be achieved. We shouldn’t be in a rush to go forward with the investigations. The jail has even suspended some individuals already, so let’s look ahead to the end result of the investigation.”
Govt expresses shock, orders probes
The Home of Representatives acknowledged that they are going to start an investigation into the bribery allegations levelled towards the EFCC and the Nigerian Correctional Service. Their decision adopted the adoption of a movement of pressing public significance sponsored by the member representing Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, Patrick Umoh.
In the meantime, the Minister of Inside, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had earlier ordered an intensive investigation into the allegations. In an announcement signed by his media aide, Alao Babatunde, the inside minister ordered an instantaneous probe, stressing that no type of indiscipline could be condoned below his watch.
In a swift response, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fireplace and Immigration Companies Board suspended two officers on the Kirikiri Medium Custodial Centre in Lagos. The officers have been suspended following Otse’s through which Okuneye claimed that after his conviction and sentencing for abuse of the naira notes in April, his godfather, in collaboration with the Controller Basic of the Nigerian Correctional Service, organized for him to serve his six-month sentence in a non-public residence.
A memo signed by the secretary of the board, Ja’afaru Ahmed, acknowledged that the suspension was to permit for correct investigation into the allegations towards them whereas assuring that the end result could be made public when concluded.
Bobrisky’s ‘temper swings’
Amidst the controversies, Okuneye has reacted in several methods, which had led to some X customers describing his behaviour in the previous few days as ‘temper swings’.
Shortly after the scandal broke out, he had written on Instagram, “My consideration has been drawn to a faux voice recording circulating on the Web that I paid EFCC N15m and that I used to be by no means in jail. I didn’t pay EFCC any cash. I served my time period in full and got here out.
“I’ve by no means considered suicide, however now, it’s coming to my head seeing what human beings are doing to their fellow human, simply within the identify of bringing them down by power or since you don’t like them,” he wrote.
He then went on to delete all the photographs on his Instagram web page.
Nonetheless, some days later, he adopted a extra defiant tone. He wrote, “Please, everybody calling to inform me the hazard I’m in and the plans towards me ought to maintain it now…I don’t need any risk any extra. I used to be scared due to the story that EFCC will detain me once more and I might be sentenced to jail (the) second time.
“God will vindicate me and for people who need to body me up, they are going to be uncovered by the regulation. I’m prepared for any investigation however not in the identical EFCC workplace the place I used to be detained. And, any investigation needs to be free, no intimidation. I demand an impartial and open investigation for the world to see.
“You can’t bury me due to my social media way of life. Anyone can alter any audio and put it out. Better of luck. Anybody who printed any audio ought to take accountability for it. The actual fact stays that I didn’t publish any audio, and nothing can change that. I’ll meet you guys in any court docket this time round when you have any case towards me.”
Which Bobrisky did James Brown go to in jail?
Netizens have been accosting one other cross dresser, James Brown, over his journey to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre the place he had claimed to go to Bobrisky. On June 7, Brown took to Instagram to share images of a go to to Kirikiri and added the caption, “I went to Kirikiri jail to go to Bobrisky to know if she’s alright.”
In the meantime, a submit by Instablog9ja claimed that in response to a supply, James didn’t go to Bobrisky. He allegedly visited an incarcerated singer named Vindicate, with whom he collaborated on a tune.
In efforts to confirm the claims, Saturday Beats reached out to Brown however he requested for a name again the next morning. In a follow-up name the subsequent morning, James Brown picked up the decision however didn’t say a single phrase. He then refused to choose up subsequent calls.
Our correspondent additionally reached out to his sister, Gracious, who was with him throughout the go to however she requested {that a} message needs to be despatched to her Instagram account, stating that her supervisor would take it up from there.