Court adjourns Falana’s defamation suit against VDM (UPDATED)

The defamation lawsuit between social media critic Martins Vincent, generally known as VeryDarkMan, and distinguished civil rights lawyer Femi Falana, alongside along with his son Folarin Falana, has been postponed.

The choice was made after the Thursday Lagos State Excessive Court docket listening to; Ikeja failed to carry as a result of a lot of the purposes filed by the events aren’t but within the court docket file.

The court docket, nonetheless, adjourned the listening to to 23 January 2025.

In the meantime, VDM arrived on the court docket’s premises round 9:30 a.m., wearing crimson apparel and supported by followers who cheered as he entered the courtroom.

Nevertheless, neither Femi Falana nor Falz was current.

When the case was known as on Thursday, counsel to Falana and Falz, Muiz Banire (SAN), knowledgeable the court docket that the claimants had filed the originating course of and served to the events.

Mr Banire additionally stated a movement on discover was served on 25 October, however Justice Matthias Dawodu stated the originating course of was not earlier than the court docket.

The claimant’s counsel, nonetheless, prayed the court docket to adjourn the case in order that he may file administrative processes.

“On this circumstance, my lord, one of the best factor to do is to adjourn the matter in order that we are able to return to the registry to file all the executive processes,” Mr Banire stated.

In his response, counsel to VDM, Marvin Omorogbe, stated it had been noticed that there was no legitimate writ of summon earlier than the court docket.

He, due to this fact, prayed the court docket to strike out the lawsuit.

Continuing

Mr Omorogbe stated he didn’t understand how the court docket’s registry would put together any administrative course of.

He stated the writ already filed was invalid because it was not earlier than the court docket.

He says the writ bears the identical go well with quantity because the preemptive treatment proceedings.

He stated, “Preemptive treatment proceedings finish after an injunction is granted or refused. They’ve filed a writ utilizing the identical go well with quantity because the preemptive treatment proceedings.

The court docket stated no {that a} recent writ of summons with a brand new go well with quantity must be filed. At this level, my lord, we shall be in search of a date to listen to our preliminary objection. “

Mr Omorogbe additional urged the court docket to withdraw a movement dated 18 October.

He stated the movement was a transfer to attraction as a result of the claimants had admitted a difficulty relating to the preemptive proceedings.

Justice Dawodu, nonetheless, struck out the movement, following no objections from the claimant’s counsel.

“I offers you a date for a listening to as a result of we’re speaking a couple of writ that isn’t earlier than the court docket,” Dawodu stated.

The choose adjourned the case till 23 January 2025 for a listening to of the preliminary objections.

Backstory

In September, PREMIUM TIMES reported that VDM posted a leaked audio clip of Bobrisky on his Instagram web page, wherein the crossdresser implicated Falz and his father.

Bobrisky, whose actual title is Idris Okuneye, alleged that whereas imprisoned on the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, Falz and his father contacted him to facilitate a ‘presidential pardon’ for a charge of N10 million.

Nevertheless, Mr Falana and his son denied the allegation and demanded that VDM problem an apology and retract his assertion, which they described as ‘defamatory’, inside 24 hours.

When the social media influencer didn’t retract the assertion or apologise, the Lagos State Excessive Court docket ordered VDM to delete the defamatory feedback and movies he made about Mr Falana and his son in September.

Justice M.O. Dawodu issued the order in response to Mr Falana’s preliminary software for preemptive measures to restrain VDM from additional defaming him and his son.

The order adopted Mr Falana’s ex parte originating software filed on 9 October.

Within the ex parte software, heard by the choose on 10 October, Mr Falana sought numerous preemptive orders in opposition to VDM forward of the substantive go well with’s listening to.

He additionally requested permission to serve VDM by substituted means, equivalent to serving the go well with on his lawyer.

The Falanas filed separate lawsuits in opposition to the defendant, every in search of N500 million in damages for a video he shared on social media.

The video accused them of accepting N10 million from Idris Okuneye, also referred to as Bobrisky, to hinder justice.

Defamation lawsuit

Of their fits, the daddy and son argued that the defendant’s statements had been baseless and defamatory, meant solely to hurt their reputations. They additional famous that the submit stays accessible on his social media, inflicting ongoing injury to their picture.

This newspaper reported that since VDM leaked the audio, there was widespread public debate and ongoing developments.

READ ALSO:‘Why I can’t apologise to you’ – VDM to Falana, Falz forward of court docket listening to

The rising considerations triggered investigations by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), whose brokers had been allegedly bribed with N15 million to drop cash laundering fees in opposition to Bobrisky, and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), which was accused of accepting bribes to grant Bobrisky VIP custody as an alternative of standard jail therapy.

A report from the panel arrange by the Minister of Inside, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to research alleged breaches of normal working procedures throughout the NCoS revealed that Bobrisky lived exterior the Correctional Service Centre throughout his six-month imprisonment.

Moreover, the Home of Representatives launched an investigation into the allegations.