The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has ordered social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman, to remove a defamatory video he posted against Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, and his son, the musician and activist Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
Justice Matthias Dawodu issued the ruling on Tuesday, directing the influencer to take down the video, which was published on September 24, 2024, and to cease further defamatory comments about the Falanas on all his social media platforms.
The court also restrained Verydarkman from publishing any additional content concerning the Falanas pending the hearing of a lawsuit filed by the father and son. The judge further ordered that all court processes be served on the influencer through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju. The restraining order will expire after 21 days.
Femi and Folarin Falana had filed separate defamation suits, seeking ₦500 million each in damages. They accused the defendant of falsely claiming that they had accepted ₦10 million from Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, to manipulate the course of justice. The Falanas asserted that the allegations were untrue and made recklessly, damaging their reputation.
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In the video, Verydarkman had made statements implying that Femi Falana was involved in corrupt activities, despite not verifying the claims. He suggested that Falana had taken a bribe to clear Bobrisky’s name, casting doubt on the integrity of the senior lawyer.
In response to the ex parte application filed by the Falanas, Justice Dawodu ruled that they had the legal right to be protected from slander. The judge found that there was sufficient evidence of a breach of their rights and issued an interim order restraining the defendant from further defamatory actions.
The court also granted permission for all legal documents to be served on Verydarkman through his legal counsel. The case will continue following the expiration of the 21-day order.
