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.”
By Saidu Idris
365Daily – Controversial social media critic, Martin Otse, a.k,a. VeryDarkMan, has been ordered by a Lagos State High Court to pay human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana and his son, Folarin (Falz), the sum of N500 million for commiting libel against them.
It also ordered him to remove defamatory comments and videos concerning lawyer from his social media handles.
These were contained in the pre-action bundle of the judgment delivered by Justice M. O. Idowu in the suit numbered no: ID/8584/GCM/2024 on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Justice Idowu said the publications made by VeryDarkMan on his social media accounts on September 24, 2024, which linked celebrity cross dresser, Bobrisky, to Falz and his father were both defamatory and injurious to their public image.
He 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.”