By Bukola Kayode
These are not the best of times for social media personality Martins Vincent Otse better known as Very Dark Man as the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered a social media influencer, to pay the sum of ₦200, 000 as fine.
The fine was slammed on the controversial social media personality, also known as VDM, after the court dismissed his preliminary objections to the ₦1 billion defamation suit instituted against him by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son rapper son, Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
Justice Fimisola Azeez held that the applications lacked merit and consequently awarded a total cost of ₦200,000 against VDM — ₦100,000 each in favour of Femi and Folarin Falana. The judge also directed the defendant to immediately file his defence in both suits.
The Falanas are seeking redress over a video published by VDM on his Instagram page (@verydarkblackman) on September 24, 2024.
According to the claimants, the video was defamatory and injurious to their reputation, and they are each claiming ₦500 million in damages, bringing the total claim to ₦1 billion.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has said controversial social media personality Martins Vincent Otse also known as VeryDarkMan, defamed him by saying he son Folarin, aka Falz he spoke with crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, promising to get him a presidential pardon for N10 million.
In a viral audio posted by VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky had alleged that he bribed some Economic and Financial Crimes Commission officials with N15 million to drop the money laundering charge against him.
In the purported recording, the crossdresser also claimed that his “godfather,” alongside the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, ensured he served the six-month sentence in a private apartment and not in prison.
Also in the clip, Bobrisky claimed that he spoke with the SAN’s rapper and actor son Folarin Falana who said he would speak with his dad to get presidential pardon. This has now been denied by the Folarins who threatened to go to court to clear their names.
Related story: https://frontlinenews.com.ng/court-strikes-out-falana-falzs-n1bn-defamation-suit-against-verydarkman/
At the hearing, Femi Falana was represented by his lawyers, Ernest Olawanle and Femi Akinyemi, while his son, Folarin, was present in court. VDM was absent but was represented by his counsel, Marvin Omorogbe.
In their suits, the claimants alleged that VDM made libellous, scandalous, and defamatory remarks targeting them in his video. They are asking the court to declare the publication defamatory and to issue a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, or any associates from making or distributing similar statements in the future.
They further requested an order compelling VDM to publish a public apology on all his social media platforms and in a national newspaper.
VeryDarkMan, in response, had filed a preliminary objection seeking to dismiss the suits for lack of jurisdiction. He argued that the Lagos High Court did not have the authority to entertain the matter, claiming the alleged offences were committed outside its jurisdiction.
However, the claimants filed a counter-affidavit along with a written address, urging the court to reject the objection.
Justice Azeez ruled in their favour, dismissed VDM’s application, and ordered him to respond to the substantive defamation claims.
The judge then adjourned the case to July 8 for mention and to allow the defendant to file his statement of defence.
This development follows an earlier ruling by Justice Mathias Dawodu of another Lagos State High Court, who on April 15, 2025, struck out a related pre-emptive action filed by the claimants. Justice Dawodu held that the matter had become academic due to the pendency of the substantive defamation suit before Justice Azeez.
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