A Lagos High Court has ordered social media commentator Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, to pay ₦200,000 in damages in the ongoing ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, rapper and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz.
The case is based on a 2024 video that went viral and in which VeryDarkMan questioned the authenticity of the Falanas’ action and accused them of hypocrisy. In a damning audio clip that went viral at the time, Bobrisky claimed that certain anonymous EFCC personnel had paid him ₦15 million in exchange for dropping money laundering accusations 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.
Ernest Olawale and Femi Akinyemi, his attorneys, attended Tuesday’s meetings in lieu of Femi Falana. In the courtroom was Falz. VDM’s lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, was present even though he wasn’t. VDM had argued that the court lacked jurisdiction because the accused offense occurred outside of Lagos State.
