The Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6 has summoned blogger Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over allegations of “criminal defamation” against gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
In a court summons dated March 5, 2025, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna ordered VDM to appear in person before the court on March 13, 2025, to respond to the charges brought against him by Chinwo.
The case stems from alleged defamatory statements made by VDM on social media, accusing Chinwo of being involved in a contractual dispute and the alleged diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
To support her claims, Chinwo submitted documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, arguing that VDM’s accusations were not only entirely false but also damaging to her public image and reputation.
In the criminal complaint filed by her legal team, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of the Abuja-based firm Law Corridor, Chinwo stated that VDM’s actions violate Section 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna has ordered VDM to appear in court on March 13, 2025, to address the charges.
Recall that Chinwo’s counsel also dragged VDM before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking N1.1bn damages against the blogger.
The lawyer sought an order compelling VDM to delete, retract, and issue a public apology for all allegedly false and defamatory statements made against Chinwo and her brand.
On February 17, 2025, a Federal High Court in Lagos held that the arrest warrant against Ee Zee Tee over alleged fraudulent conversion subsists and adjourned the case until March 6, 2025 for the arraignment of the record label boss.
In the defamation suit, Olajengbesi said VDM made the posts without provocation and with the apparent intention of lowering Chinwo’s estimation in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.
READ ALSO: Mercy Chinwo Sues VeryDarkMan for N1.1bn Over Defamation
Chinwo furnished the court with all documents and evidences to establish that all that VeryDarkMan has been saying are false.
He told the court that the VDM’s videos and posts are false and have caused significant harm to Chinwo’s public image, reputation, professional standing and emotional well-being.
The lawyer said VDM made the posts on his Instagram handle on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 12th, and 17th of February 2025 accusing Chinwo of “going behind the record label to go and collect shows, she was collecting gigs and she was not remitting money to the record label”.
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