Court fines Verydarkman ₦200,000 damages in Falana, Falz defamation case

A Lagos High Court has ordered social media commentator, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to pay ₦200,000 in damages in the ongoing ₦1 billion defamation suit filed by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, rapper and activist Folarin Falana, better known as Falz.

The case stems from a viral video posted by VeryDarkMan in 2024 in which he accused the Falanas of hypocrisy and questioned the legitimacy of their activism.  At the time, VDM released a scathing viral audio where Bobrisky alleged that some unnamed EFCC officers collected ₦15 million from him to drop money laundering charges against him.

Bobrisky, in the audio, also alleged that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and his son assisted in getting the charges dropped and keeping him out of prison. However, Very Dark Man then alleged that Falz and his father, Femi Falana, a renowned SAN were the ones behind Bobrisky's ordeal. 

The father and son subsequently filed a lawsuit demanding ₦1 billion in damages, citing defamation of character and reputational harm.

VeryDarkMan then filed a preliminary objection, asking the court to dismiss the suit on various legal grounds. However, in a ruling delivered this week, the court dismissed his objection, declaring it baseless and without merit. As part of the decision, the judge ordered him to pay ₦100,000 each to Femi Falana and Falz, totaling ₦200,000 in costs.

Femi Falana was not present at Tuesday's sessions, but his attorneys Ernest Olawale and Femi Akinyemi were in his place. Falz was in the courtroom. Despite being absent, VDM was represented by Marvin Omorogbe, his attorney. VDM had contended that because the alleged offence took place outside of Lagos State, the court lacked jurisdiction.