The Lagos State High Court has directed popular social media critic, Martin Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, to take down defamatory comments and videos about renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his musician son, Folarin Falana (Falz).
Additionally, the court ordered VeryDarkMan to pay N500 million in damages for libel.
Justice M.O. Dawodu, presiding over the case, delivered the judgment in suit no: ID/8584/GCM/2024 on Tuesday. The court found that the statements made by VeryDarkMan on his social media platforms, including claims connecting crossdresser Bobrisky to Falz and his father, were defamatory and harmful to their reputation.
The defamatory posts, published on September 24, 2024, continue to circulate online, causing further injury to the reputations of the Falanas. The judgment emphasized that VeryDarkMan knowingly published false and unsubstantiated statements.
Dawodu stated, “According to the applicants (Falz and Falana), the defendant (VeryDarkMan) knew these statements (Bobrisky’s claims) were false and untrue but proceeded to publish them to injure their reputation.
“Furthermore, the defamatory statements are still trending on the defendant (VeryDarkMan)’s several online platforms and the injury to their reputation continues as long as the publication remains online.”
Punch