Social Media Critic ‘VeryDarkMan’ Seeks to Appeal Defamation Ruling in Falana, Falz Case

Controversial social media personality Martins Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, is seeking permission from the Lagos State High Court to appeal a recent ruling against him in a defamation case brought by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, musician Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz. On October 14, 2024, Justice M.O. Dawodu ruled in favor of the Falanas, ordering VeryDarkMan to retract allegedly defamatory statements and halt further publications regarding the father-son duo.

The dispute arose after VeryDarkMan posted a video implying Falz was involved in a scheme to secure a presidential pardon for cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky. According to legal documents, Bobrisky allegedly sought financial aid and legal intervention from Falz for VIP treatment while in detention for naira abuse, reportedly asking for N3 million to pay correctional centre officials. In response, Falana’s legal team, in a letter dated September 26 and shared on Falz’s Instagram, demanded a retraction and apology for the alleged defamation.

Justice Dawodu’s ruling instructed VeryDarkMan, along with his agents and associates, to delete the video and comments posted on September 24 from all social media platforms. The court further restrained him from publishing any additional defamatory material about the Falanas until he complied with the pre-action protocol. However, on October 18, VeryDarkMan filed two separate motions to appeal, claiming the court’s ruling was based solely on the Falanas’ affidavit and contending his constitutional right to appeal.

In his application, VeryDarkMan argued that denying him leave to appeal would be unjust, as it could lead to enforcing a decision he believes may misapply the law, causing harm to both the involved parties and the judicial system. He emphasized that the appellate court’s oversight is essential to ensuring fair and accurate legal outcomes, adding that a review of the ruling would clarify the legal standing of the case.

An affidavit submitted by his lawyer, Oladimeji Joseph, underscored that the court’s approval is required before moving forward with an appeal. The lawyer highlighted the urgency, noting that VeryDarkMan has a 14-day window from the October 14 ruling to obtain permission for the appeal, urging the court to grant the request for a fair review.