Court Dismisses Falana’s Defamation Suit Against Verydarkman

By Felix Kuyinu

A defamation suit against social media celebrity, Martins Otse, also known as Verydarkman, has been struck out at the Federal High Court in Ikeja, Lagos.

During a re-arraignment of Verdarkman on Tuesday, the Presiding Judge, Matthias Idowu, held that the substantive suit from the claimants, human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, and his son, Folarin, popularly know as Falz, was before another court, stating that the defendant was on trial at the High Court needlessly.

Justice Idowu gave the ruling following the petitioner’s demand of N500m for damages over a video posted by Verydarkman on his social media accounts as well as an audio record by cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, who cited claims of the Falana’s perversion of justice.

In absence of the litigants at the court, counsel to the respondent, Niyi Alagbe, stated that there was an earlier application submitted for a stay of proceedings which was confirmed by counsel to the Falana’s, Omotayo Olatunbosun.

Olatunbosun, however, urged the court to proceed with the case. Nevertheless, Justice Dawodu mentioned that the application was not in the case file submitted at the court, and thus insistence on going ahead with the suit would be an academic exercise since the substantial suit is before another judge.

“Consequently, this suit is hereby struck out”, the judge said.