Following the dismissal of his preliminary objections to the ₦1 billion defamation suit brought against him by human rights attorney Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, music artist Folarin Falana, also known as Falz, a Lagos The The High Court in Ikeja has ordered social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to pay a fine of ₦200,000.
Regarding a video that VDM posted on his Instagram profile (@verydarkblackman) on September 24, 2024, the Falanas are requesting compensation.
Femi and Folarin Falana were awarded a total cost of ₦200,000 against VDM of ₦100,000 each after Justice Fimisola Azeez ruled that the applications lacked merit. Additionally, the judge ordered the defendant to promptly submit his defence in both cases.
The plaintiffs are each seeking ₦500 million in damages, for a total of ₦1 billion, alleging that the film was defamatory and damaging to their reputation.
Ernest Olawanle and Femi Akinyemi, Femi Falana’s solicitors, represented him at the hearing, and Folarin, his son, was in attendance. Although not present, VDM was represented by Marvin Omorogbe, his attorney.
The claimants claimed in their lawsuits that VDM targeted them in his video with libellous, scandalous, and defamatory statements. In addition to granting a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendant, his representatives, or any associates from publishing or disseminating such claims in the future, they are requesting that the court find the publication defamatory.
They also asked for an order requiring VDM to issue a public apology in a national newspaper and on all of his social media accounts.
VDM, 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 comes after Justice Mathias Dawodu of another Lagos State High Court dismissed a comparable preemptive action brought by the claimants on April 15, 2025. Because Justice Azeez’s substantive defamation complaint was still pending, Justice Dawodu ruled that the case had turned academic.
The Falanas filed a substantive complaint after obtaining an initial pre-emptive decree on October 14, 2024. In response, VDM filed a second preliminary objection, claiming many activities and requesting a stay of the case.
However, because the preemptive action was ended and the actual issue was already being handled in a legitimate court, Justice Dawodu determined that the application lacked a legal basis.
Justice Dawodu declared, “The matter can no longer stand because it has no legs, and therefore, sustaining the matter amounts to a waste of precious judicial time,” after dismissing the preliminary objection.
With the defendant now required to formally react to the accusations of defamation, the legal struggle rages on as the case proceeds under Justice Azeez.
