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Bobriksy: Lawyer slams Verydarkman, reveals legal implications of calling out Falana
Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer has reacted after social media critic, VeryDarkMan threw some accusations to his colleague, Femi Falana on social media.
Taking to his Twitter handle on Thursday, the public interest lawyer called out VDM, telling him he is reliable to libel [a published false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation].
According to Effiong, VeryDarkMan lacks an understanding of the law for libel.
In his words;
“Saying that you expected Femi Falana to write to Bobrisky and not you, who actually published the defamatory matter, is just a demonstration of your acute lack of knowledge of the law of libel,”
Explaining further, he said that his personal take on the matter, combined with his publication of defamatory audio, made him legally liable.
He added,“Even if you want to plead the defence of fair comment in court, your personal and highly prejudicial comments make it improbable for you to prevail. Emotion is one thing; the law is another.”
“If reasonable and right-thinking members of society can deduce from your statement that you were referring to the claimant, and that the claimant’s estimation is lowered on account of your statement, you are liable,”Effiong said.
TopNaija understands that this issue arose after the social media influencer shared a supposed audio implicating Falana’s son, Folarin Falana, best known as Falz, in a conversation involving crossdresser Bobrisky.
In the audio, it was seen that the crossdresser, following his term in prison in April, his godfather, in collaboration with the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, arranged for him to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.
Bobrisky also allegedly claimed that he had been contacted by the rapper Falz and his father, Falana, who proposed to help him secure a Federal Government pardon for a fee of ₦10 million.
Reacting via a letter issued by Falana’s legal chambers, VeryDarkMan’s post was described as “vicious, wicked, and reckless,” and the law firm demanded a public apology and retraction of the defamatory statements within 24 hours.
“The law does not work that way,” Effiong warned, referring to VeryDarkMan’s suggestion that Falana should have addressed Bobrisky directly.
“Publication arises when what is said or written is brought to the notice of the whole world or third parties. That is what gives rise to a cause of action,” he added.
Effiong also cautioned that allegations of bribery and corruption against a lawyer must be backed by substantial evidence.
“If you’re going to accuse a lawyer, or anyone for that matter, of aiding a prisoner to avoid jail time or serve imprisonment outside the custodial centre, you should have solid facts to substantiate it,” he said.
