From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 6, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of blogger Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), for “criminal defamation” of the reputation of gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo.
Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna who issued the warrant of arrest ordered the Nigeria Police Force together with other law enforcement agencies to arrest VeryDarkMan and produce him to court to answer to the criminal allegations levelled against him. He issued the bench warrant yesterday following the absence of VeryDarkMan in court to honour a the March 5, 2025 summons issued on him to do so.
Though VeryDarkMan’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, appealed to the magistrate to rethink the bench warrant and that he would personally produce his client in court, Magistrate Iyanna rejected the appeal and insisted that VeryDarkMan be produced in court by security agencies.
The bench warrant stemmed from alleged defamatory statements made by VDM on social media, accusing Chinwo of involvement in a contractual dispute and the purported diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
In support of her claims, Chinwo furnished the court with documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to substantiate that VDM’s allegations were not only entirely false but damning and injurious to her public image and reputation.
The complainant’s lawyers led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, Chinwo said the alleged actions of the defendant are contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
Counsel to Chinwo’s 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.