Martins Otse, a social media personality widely known as Verydarkman, has been ordered by a Lagos High Court to pay N200,000 in total to renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, music artist Folarin Falana (popularly known as Falz).
The penalty was imposed for lodging an appeal that delayed the ongoing legal proceedings in a defamation lawsuit.
The court, presided over by Justice F. A. Azeez rejected Otse’s preliminary objections to the N1 billion lawsuit initiated by the Falanas. The judge instructed the influencer to respond to the allegations without further delay.
The defamation suit stems from a video posted on Otse’s Instagram account on September 24, 2024, which the claimants say damaged their reputations.
The father and son duo have demanded a public apology and an end to defamatory remarks, alongside a financial compensation of N500 million each.