VeryDarkMan: Court Orders N500m Fine Against Controversial Social Media Personality As Falanas Win
TheTalk.NG journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism.
Ikeja, Lagos state – The Lagos state high court on Tuesday, October 15, imposed a N500 million fine on Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, a controversial social media personality.
TheTalk.NG reports that the sanction was announced over alleged libel.
VeryDarkMan loses in court.
Photo credits: Femi Falana, Bobrisky, VerydarkblackmanSource: Facebook
Recall VeryDarkMan posted a leaked audio of controversial internet personality, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky, on his Instagram page where the crossdresser allegedly indicted Folarin Falana, better known by his stage name Falz; and his father, Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Bobrisky alleged in the leaked audio that Falz and his father contacted him while he was imprisoned at Kirikiri Correctional Centre to help him secure a presidential pardon.
VeryDarkMan alleged that Bobrisky paid the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) N15 million to strike out a money laundering case.
In April, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the federal high court in Lagos sentenced Bobrisky to six months in prison for naira abuse after dismissing the money laundering charges against him.
Bobrisky began serving his six-month prison sentence on March 24 and was released from Kirikiri Correctional Centre on August 5.
In a demand for retraction letter by Falana and Falana’s Chambers and signed by Taiwo Olawanle, Falz denied ever contacting Bobrisky regarding a presidential pardon application. Subsequently, Femi Falana and his son, Falz, dragged VeryDarkMan to court.
Court faults VeryDarkMan
Justice M. O. Idowu delivered the judgment on Tuesday, October 15, in suit no: ID/8584/GCM/2024. The case centred around defamatory remarks and videos posted by VeryDarkMan on September 24, 2024, linking the Falana family to Bobrisky.
The court held that the statements were defamatory and damaging to the public image of both Femi Falana and his son.
Per the court’s ruling, VeryDarkMan knew the claims were false but published them to harm the Falanas’ reputation.
Justice Idowu said:
“The defamatory statements continue to trend on the defendant’s social media platforms, causing ongoing harm to the applicants’ reputation as long as the publications remain online.”
‘Remove defamatory posts’, court to VeryDarkMan
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that the Lagos high court ordered VeryDarkMan to remove alleged defamatory comments and videos concerning Falana (SAN) and his son, Folarin (Falz).
According to Justice Idowu, the publications made by VeryDarkMan on his social media accounts on September 24, 2024, linking Bobrisky to Falz and his father were injurious to their public image.
Source: TheTalk.NG
