A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has adjourned the ₦1 billion defamation case filed by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, against social media influencer Martins Otse, alias VeryDarkMan, to February 19, 2025.
The adjournment was necessitated by a preliminary objection filed by the defendant, through his lawyer Marvin Omorogbe, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
Naturenex reports that the Falanas filed the suit demanding ₦500 million each in damages over a video posted by VeryDarkMan on his social media platforms.
The video alleged that the duo accepted ₦10 million from Idris Okuneye, a.k.a. Bobrisky, to pervert justice.
On October 14, 2024, Justice Matthias Dawodu had ordered the defendant to remove the defamatory video and refrain from publishing further defamatory content about the plaintiffs.
The court also directed that all legal processes be served on the defendant through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.
In his preliminary objection, the defendant argued that:
The Lagos High Court lacks territorial jurisdiction, as the defendant is domiciled and conducts business in Abuja, where the alleged defamatory statements were made.
Filing the case in Lagos constitutes forum shopping by the plaintiffs in an attempt to secure a favorable judgment.
At the resumed hearing, defence counsel Marvin Omorogbe informed the court that he had received the plaintiffs’ counter-affidavit on Wednesday and needed time to respond. Plaintiffs’ counsel, Omotade Omotunbosun, did not oppose the application for adjournment.
Justice Dawodu subsequently adjourned the matter to February 19, 2025, for a hearing.
The Falanas maintain that the defendant’s comments were unverified and knowingly false, published recklessly to damage their reputation. They claim the defamatory publication remains online, causing ongoing harm.
The plaintiffs are seeking:
- A declaration that the defendant’s publication is defamatory, slanderous, and injurious to their reputation.
- ₦500 million in damages each for the defamatory video published on Instagram on September 24, 2024.
- A perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further defamatory publications.
- An order directing the defendant to publicly apologize across all his social media platforms and in a national daily newspaper.
The case will proceed with the hearing of the preliminary objection on the next adjourned date.
