The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has deferred proceedings in the defamation lawsuit filed by prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, rapper Falz, against social media personality VeryDarkMan (VDM). Justice Matthias Dawodu has scheduled the next hearing for February 19, 2025, to address a preliminary objection raised by VDM’s lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe. The objection challenges the validity of the lawsuit and the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
Although neither the Falanas nor VDM were present in court, their legal representatives attended. Omorogbe informed the court that he had received a counter-affidavit from the Falanas’ attorney, Omotade Omotunbosun, and requested additional time to prepare a response. The request was unopposed, leading to the hearing’s postponement.
The case centers on allegations made by VDM in a video claiming that Femi Falana and Falz accepted ₦10 million from socialite Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, to influence the judicial process. The Falanas, in response, have filed for ₦500 million each in damages, asserting that the claims are false and damaging to their reputation.
Court Ruling on Defamatory Video
On October 14, 2024, Justice Dawodu directed VDM to remove the video from his platforms and prohibited him from publishing similar content until the case is resolved. The court also granted permission for all legal documents to be served to VDM through his attorney, Deji Adeyanju.
Jurisdiction Dispute
VDM’s objection contends that the Lagos court lacks jurisdiction over the case since he resides and operates in Abuja, where the alleged defamatory publication occurred. He further argued that the choice of Lagos as the venue was an attempt to secure a favorable ruling.
The Falanas maintain that the video’s claims have caused significant harm to their reputation and continue to do so as the content remains accessible online. They have denied the allegations, stating that Bobrisky never claimed to have paid them ₦10 million in any audio recording.
Reliefs Sought by the Falanas
The Falanas are pursuing the following outcomes from the court:
- A declaration that the Instagram publication by VDM on September 24, 2024, is defamatory.
- ₦500 million in damages each for defamation of character.
- A permanent injunction to prevent VDM from publishing similar defamatory material.
- A public apology to be issued across all of VDM’s social media platforms and in a national newspaper.
The case has been adjourned until February 19, 2025, for further deliberation.
