Social media influencer and activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, is standing firm in the face of legal action brought against him by prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, musician and activist Falz, over allegations of defamation. The lawsuit follows Otse’s recent online posts, which the Falana family claims included unverified accusations damaging to their reputation.
Ahead of the court hearing, scheduled for 9:00 a.m. at Ikeja High Court, VeryDarkMan arrived in Lagos with his legal representative, Deji Adeyanju. The case stems from an audio recording Otse shared, in which crossdresser Bobrisky allegedly claimed that the Falanas had reached out to her during a jail sentence, offering a presidential pardon in exchange for a ₦10 million payment. Bobrisky has since discredited the recording and threatened to sue Otse, describing the claims as defamatory.
The Falana family has demanded an apology and a retraction of the allegations, warning of legal repercussions if Otse fails to comply. However, VeryDarkMan has stood by his actions, arguing that his posts were intended to “expose corruption” rather than defame.
“They (Falana and Falz) said I defamed them, but for me, it’s corruption I exposed,” VeryDarkMan explained in a recent video. He expressed his concerns about perceived injustices, including allegations of lenient treatment for certain offenders and bribery within the system. “They asked me to apologise. I don’t see anything wrong with what I did, so I’m not apologising to anybody. If someone’s name is mentioned, they should clear their name.”
As the case unfolds, it has drawn significant public attention, with opinions divided on social media. Supporters of VeryDarkMan argue for transparency and freedom of speech, while critics emphasize the importance of verifying information before making public accusations.