The defamation case filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana and his son, the popular musician and activist Folarin Falana, also known as Falz, against social critic Vincent Otse, widely known as Very Dark Man (VDM), was adjourned on Tuesday, November 14, 2024, at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja. The hearing could not proceed as scheduled due to the absence of several key applications in the court’s file.
As a result, the presiding judge, Justice Matthias Dawodu, adjourned the matter to January 23, 2025, for further proceedings.
The defamation case stems from a video posted by VDM on September 24, 2024, in which he alleged that the Falanas had received N10 million from popular internet personality Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, to pervert the course of justice. In the video, VDM accused the father and son duo of engaging in corrupt activities, which they assert is a baseless and defamatory claim.
In a previous ruling on October 14, 2024, Justice Dawodu had granted an ex-parte application by the Falanas for interim relief. The court ruled that the duo had the legal right to be protected from slander and ordered that the allegedly defamatory video be taken down from all of VDM’s social media platforms.
The court further imposed an injunction, restraining VDM from publishing or circulating any further defamatory content about the Falanas on his online handles until the case is fully heard. Justice Dawodu also ordered that all legal documents related to the case be served on VDM through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.
In their suit, Femi and Folarin Falana are seeking N500 million each in damages for the harm caused by the video, which they claim was intentionally and recklessly published, despite being unverified and false. The Falanas argue that the defamatory video continues to damage their reputations as it remains accessible on VDM’s social media platforms.
The video, which was widely circulated after its release, has remained a trending topic on various online platforms, contributing to the continued reputational harm to both the senior lawyer and his son.
In response to the court’s ruling on the ex-parte application, VDM has filed a motion seeking leave to appeal the decision, which is pending.
The case is expected to continue into the new year, with both sides preparing for a full hearing of the allegations.