Social media influencer Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, has moved to appeal a Lagos High Court ruling that required him to take down allegedly defamatory content against renowned Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana, SAN, and his son, musician Folarin Falana (Falz).
The disputed content includes recorded statements suggesting that the Falanas accepted a bribe of N10 million from crossdresser Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, to influence justice. On October 14, Justice Matthias Dawodu ordered VeryDarkMan to remove these statements from all social media platforms and to refrain from posting further defamatory material against the Falanas until a formal hearing.
Seeking permission to appeal, VeryDarkMan filed two motions on October 18, arguing that the ruling was based solely on the respondents’ affidavit. Since the order is interlocutory, he contends that he must obtain court approval to exercise his right to appeal. He expressed that a denial of his request would be a miscarriage of justice, given the substantial legal questions surrounding the case.
“A refusal to grant leave may result in enforcing a decision that does not correctly apply the law, impacting not only the involved parties but the broader judicial system,” he stated, underscoring the role of the appellate court in safeguarding legal accuracy and fairness.
The case has drawn public interest, highlighting the balance between social media freedom and accountability in addressing potentially harmful claims against public figures.
