Nigerian singer and lawyer, Falz, has demanded an immediate retraction and apology from Martins Vincent Otse, a.k.a VeryDarkman (VDM) over defamatory statements made against him.
According to a letter from Falz’s lawyers, Falana & Falana Chambers, VDM published a statement on his Instagram page insinuating Falz’s involvement in the Bobrisky money laundering case.
The statement, captioned “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,” implied that Falz “connived with Bobrisky to pervert the cause of justice and he is complicit in the upturning of justice for financial gains.”
However, Falz’s lawyers denied these allegations, stating that Falz never initiated a conversation with Bobrisky. Instead, Bobrisky contacted Falz on May 4, 2024, requesting a phone conversation and seeking financial assistance of N3,000,000 to stay in the VIP section of the Correctional Centre. Falz advised Bobrisky that there was no need to pay the officials any money.
Falz’s lawyers have given VDM 24 hours to retract the statement and publish an apology on all platforms where the defamatory statement was disseminated. Failure to comply will result in legal action seeking monetary damages.
Read the full statement below:
“RETRACTION DEMAND FOR WITHDRAWAL AND STATEMENT AGAINST MR FOLARIN FALANA (AKA FALZ).
“We are Counsel to Mr FoLARIN FALANA (AKA FALZ) (hereinafter referred to as “our client”). We write you this letter on his behalf regarding your publication and/or dissemination of defamatory statements against him.”
“Your publication of September 25, 2024, on your Instagram page captioned “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.” has been drawn to our notice wherein you made some defamatory statements against our client.”
“To set the records straight, our client never at any point initiated a conversation with Mr Idris Okuneye. Our client has documentary evidence that Mr. Idris was in fact the one who initiated a call.”
“Specifically, on the 4th of May 2024, Mr Idris Okuneye (AKA Bobrisky) contacted our client requesting a phone conversation with him. Our client gratuitously obliged, having knowledge of the Naira abuse charges leveled against him, and genuinely believing he might require legal advice.”
“Mr Idris Okuneye (Aka Bobrisky) called shortly after but instead of soliciting legal advice, stated that he was in distress and needed financial assistance of about N3,000,000 (Three million Naira) which he claimed he needed to pay some officials To be permitted to stay in the VIP section of the Correctional Centre.”
“Our client, in the same conversation, advised him that there was no need to pay the officials of the Correctional Centre any money. However, Mr Idris Okuneye (Aka Bobrisky) stated that his lawyers had messed up his case by asking him to plead guilty to the charges filed against him.”
“Mr Idris Okuneye (Aka Bobrisky) insisted on his request for the money which our client continuously disapproved.
“Without contacting our client, you went ahead to publish a careless statement containing multiple allegations including an insinuation that our client is involved in a homosexual affair and intended to get a presidential pardon for, Mr Idris Okuneye.”
“The direct meaning, imputation, purport and/or innuendo of the false, misleading and defamatory statement is that:
1. Our client, Mr Folarin Falana (Aka Falz) connived with Bobrisky to pervert the cause of justice and he is complicit in the upturning of justice for financial gains.
“Our client is participating in a device that constitutes subterfuge and lacks integrity, in concert with others with whom you also characterize as corrupt
“Our client’s posturing as a human rights activist is deceitful and false
“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.
“Be advised that if we do not receive your formal retraction and apology as demanded within 24 (twenty-four) hours of the receipt hereof, we shall proceed with our client’s instructions to seek appropriate legal remedies, including monetary damages, against you for your incendiary publication and dissemination of defamatory statements.
“We hope that the salient issue raised herein will urgently be addressed by you in your best interest.
Yours sincerely,
Taiwo E. Olawanle, Esq.
RIAN BARA ASSOCIA7 NIGER NBA 7579
ATO TAI”
This is not the first time Falz has taken a stand against defamatory statements. In 2019, he condemned the punishment of Kano-based musician, Mohammed Yusuf, who was jailed for two years for defaming Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state.
