An Ikeja High Court has set January 23, 2025, to hear a defamation case against Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), filed by prominent lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, musician Folarin “Falz” Falana. The plaintiffs allege that VDM defamed them through online content. At the recent court session, Muiz Banire (SAN), representing the Falanas, noted that the originating legal documents and a motion were submitted on October 25. However, Justice Matthias Dawodu found that the case documentation was incomplete.

Banire requested an adjournment to complete the necessary administrative filings, while VDM’s lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, argued that the initial writ of summons lacked validity, as it was filed under the same suit number as a previous, preliminary injunction proceeding. Omorogbe requested that the court dismiss the case, asserting that new case documentation, separate from the initial injunction, was required. Additionally, Omorogbe called for the withdrawal of an October 18 motion, which proposed an appeal acknowledging a dispute related to preliminary proceedings. The judge agreed to strike out the motion in response to Banire’s lack of objection.

Justice Dawodu granted an adjournment and emphasized the need for a properly filed writ of summons, scheduling the hearing for January 23, 2025. This case, along with a related lawsuit involving Falz and VDM, stems from a court order on October 14 directing VDM to remove a defamatory video posted on September 24. The contested video, reportedly based on claims by Bobrisky, a Nigerian cross-dresser, accused the Falanas of judicial misconduct. The court initially acted on an ex parte motion filed by the Falanas to curb further reputational harm.