The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned social media influencer, Martins ‘VeryDarkMan’ Otse, over allegations that controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, known as Bobrisky, paid him a bribe of N15 million to get money laundering charges against him dropped.
The commission also invited Bobrisky to assist in the investigation.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the EFCC arrested Bobrisky in April on six counts of money laundering and naira mutilation.
During his trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Judge Abimbola Awogboro dismissed the money laundering charges (counts five and six) and sentenced Bobrisky to six months imprisonment for naira abuse.
The judge imposed a six-month prison sentence without the option of a fine, saying the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others who mutilate the naira.
Bobrisky began his prison sentence on March 24 and was released from the Kirikiri Correctional Centre on August 5 after serving a six-month prison sentence.
Leaked audio
However, just over a month after his release, VeryDarkMan posted on his Instagram page on Tuesday a leaked audio of the transvestite narrating what happened during his six-month jail sentence.
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In the audio, Bobrisky can be heard discussing with a friend how the EFCC collected N15 million from him to drop the money laundering charges.
VeryDarkMan posted the audio after Bobrisky refused to refund N4 million to one of the people he contacted to get the N15 million he allegedly paid to EFCC.
In the leaked conversation, the transvestite is heard talking to a friend and saying: “You know I am a big influencer. I have over 5 million followers on Instagram and Facebook, and Facebook pays me every month. Despite that, they (EFCC) claimed I could not pay the bill. [N150m] The house I live in. The EFCC accused me of money laundering and took me to court. We pleaded with them and asked how much it would cost to drop the money laundering charges and the EFCC said 15 million naira.
“I could not use my account because I am still under investigation and cannot withdraw or transfer funds. So, I called some friends. One of them was Elele, and I asked him which account I should use to send the money. I gave him my brother’s account and he transferred N8 million. I also called Demola in the US and he immediately sent N1 million. Other people I trust sent money and we collected the total amount (N15 million), we gave them the money and they (EFCC) dropped the money laundering charge and took me to court for misuse of naira.”
Private apartments, not cells
In the leaked audio, Bobrisky claimed he was framed after receiving his infamous “Best Dressed Woman” award at the premiere of actress Eniola Ajao’s movie, “Beast of Two Worlds.”
He admitted to pleading guilty in court, believing he would receive a fine or perform community service. However, he said he was sentenced because of his guilty plea.
The transvestite further revealed that after his sentencing, his godfather, together with the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.
Bobrisky continued to narrate: “The whole matter started when I was given the best dressed woman award. There was jealousy and when I got to court I admitted my guilt, expecting to be fined or do community service. However, the court convicted me. On the way to prison, my godfather called me and assured me that I would not go to prison. He told me not to worry and that he would get me an apartment near the prison and speak to the Controller General of Prisons in Abuja.
“After they spoke, they took me back to an apartment where they told me not to come out until I finished my sentence. They informed the man in the apartment that their boss had ordered them to keep me there and not let me out. The man said he would charge 10 million naira so I had to call Elele again. Elele gave me 2 million naira because there was no one else to call.”
Enter Falz, Femi Falana
The leaked audio of Bobrisky incriminated singer Falz and his father, human rights activist Femi Falana.
He said they approached him for help with their request for a presidential pardon.
The transvestite said: “I was supposed to be released at the end of July, but Falz approached me and his father spoke to me. He said we could apply for a pardon, since my case is federal. He explained that the president could grant me a pardon, which would allow me to leave prison without completing my sentence.
“The man (Femi Falana) initiated the pardon process and said he would send it to the Minister of Justice in Abuja who would then forward it to the President. But, with Nigeria’s corruption and all, the lawyer (Femi Falana) said he would need N10 million to ensure that the pardon clears my name from the record. However, I have no one to call for the money because I don’t know which of my friends set me up.”
The EFCC reacts
Reacting to the allegation on Tuesday night, EFCC boss Ola Olukoyede, in a statement obtained by this newspaper, ordered an immediate investigation into the allegations of bribery levelled against some officials of the commission.
Mr. Olukoyede further invited Bobrisky and VeryDarkMan to make themselves available at his Lagos Directorate to assist investigators in uncovering the alleged bribery.
The statement read in part: “The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered an immediate investigation into alleged bribery allegations levelled against some officials of the Commission by Idris Okuneye (aka Bobrisky) in a viral video circulating across the country. Okuneye, an ex-convict, had alleged in the video pushed by Martins Vincent Otse (aka VeryDarkMan) that some unnamed officials of the EFCC charged him the sum of N15,000,000 (fifteen million naira only) to drop money laundering charges against him.
“In a swift reaction, the EFCC boss has set up a team of investigators to critically examine the allegations. To this end, the Commission invites Okuneye and Otse to make themselves available at its Lagos Directorate to assist investigators in uncovering the alleged bribery.”
The anti-corruption agency assured the public that the allegations would be thoroughly investigated and the outcome of the findings would be made public.
READ ALSO: Why I preferred to spend my sentence in a male cell – Bobrisky
NCoS reacts
Asked for comment, Abubakar Umar, spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service, told this newspaper on Wednesday morning that they are investigating the allegations.
Mr Umar assured this reporter that he would send a letter detailing the results of his investigation as soon as possible.
He said, “Well, brother, thank you very much for calling me. We are doing an investigation. Well, of course, I will send you my letter.”
At the time of publication, Mr Falana could not be reached for comment on the presidential pardon request filed against him in the leaked audio.