The defendant knew all his comments were not true and not verified yet he proceeded to recklessly publish same to injure the reputation of the claimant/applicant. The said defamatory publication is still trending on the Defendant’s several online handles/pages and the injury to the Applicant/Claimant’s reputation is continuing as long as the publication remains online
Emmanuel Thomas I Tuesday, October 15, 2024
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Legal fireworks has kicked off between the Human Right lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, his son, Folarin(Falz) versus the self-styled online policeman, Vincent Otse better known as Veryblackdarkman in the one-sided and unverified audio note attributed to the crossdresser and social media personality, Idris Okuneye better(Bobrisky).
This followed an order granted by Justice M.O. Dawodu to the effect that Mr. Vincent Otse should bring down the alleged defamatory video which he made on Sept 24 against the Falanas.
The court also ordered the service of originating summons against him through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju within 14 days.
The court made the orders following an ex parte originating application filed by Femi Falana and his son against the actions of verydarkblackman wherein he published “unverified audio recording of a one sided narrative by Bobrisky” alleging perversion of justice by the Falanas.
In the certified true copy of the ruling made available to www.starconnectmedia.com, the defendant who has a very large following on the social media( X, Instagram and Youtube), among others had on September 25, 2024 on his Instagram handle domiciled @verydarblackman uploaded a video where : he made some of the following unsolicited comments against, the SAN and his lovely son.
“In everything and everyone that is mentioned here, I will be disappointed if truly Falz and his father are involved in this whole Bobrisky issue… Falzthebhadguy contacted Bobrisky … and contacted his father. Femi Falana spoke to Bobrisky in order to divert justice … a whole Femi Falana… will engage himself in something like this?
Alright, based on this first voice note, … Bobrisky is saying that Femi Falana collected N10 million in order to wipe his name off the record. These are people I respected …So, you can also be involved in things like these?… I have lost 100% respect for these… For now I take what Bobrisky said as the truth ..”
The court specifically put the defendant on notice as follows:
“In the alleged unverified audio recording of a one-sided narrative by the alleged Bobrisky, the said Bobrisky never said that the Claimant/Applicant herein collected N10 million from him yet, the Defendant recklessly stated that Femi Falana collected N10 million from Bobrisky. The defendant’s said online publication contained multiple allegations and that he did not expect the claimant, who was a lawyer to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, whom everyone respects to engage in something like this? He also stated that the claimant represented to Bobrisky that he could get a presidential pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for the sum of N10 million only”
“The defendant knew all his comments were not true and not verified yet he proceeded to recklessly publish same to injure the reputation of the claimant/applicant. The said defamatory publication is still trending on the Defendant’s several online handles/pages and the injury to the Applicant/Claimant’s reputation is continuing as long as the publication remains online.
“The interest of justice is better served in hearing and granting this instant exparte application for interim/pre-emptive remedy”.
However after citing relevant cases such as Adeleke & Ors Vs Lawal &Ors 2014 NWLR and Azuh VS UBN Plc, 2014 NWLR, the court pronounced as follows:
1.“The defendants, his agents and privies are hereby restrained from further releasing, publishing or circulating any defamatory video/Comments about the Applicant and to bring down the defamatory video/comments about the applicant published on September 24th, 2024 on his online social media handles/ pages pending compliance with the Pre-action protocol of this Honourable Court
2.“Leave is hereby granted to the applicant to serve the Pre-action bundles, originating process and all other court processes between parties herein on the defendant by substituted means through his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, …Abuja.
3.“The applicant must file and serve the pre-action bundles , originating process and other accompanying processes on the defendant within 14 days from today.
“The order in 1 above shall lapse after 21 days from today”
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