A Lagos High Court has slammed a N200,000 cost on popular online figure Martins Otse, known online as Verydarkman, for filing an appeal that stalled the progress of a defamation case brought against him by Femi Falana and his musician son, Falz.
According to the court ruling, Otse is to pay N100,000 each to the senior and junior Falana after his attempt to block the N1 billion lawsuit through a preliminary objection was thrown out.
Justice F. A. Azeez, delivering the ruling, also instructed Otse to promptly enter a formal defence.
The case centers on a video uploaded by the influencer to his Instagram page (@verydarkblackman) on September 24, 2024, which the claimants argue tarnished their reputations.
They are seeking both a written apology and damages totaling N1 billion for alleged character defamation.