BREAKING: Court orders arrest of VeryDarkMan over defamation on Mercy Chinwo

An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6 has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over a criminal defamation case filed by gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.

Magistrate Emmanuel Iyana ordered the Nigeria Police and other law enforcement agencies to arrest VDM and present him before the court after he failed to appear despite being summoned on March 5.

The case stems from allegations that VDM made defamatory claims against Chinwo on social media, accusing her of diverting $345,000 in a contractual dispute with her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (Eezee Tee). Chinwo has provided documentary evidence to refute the allegations, arguing that the claims have damaged her reputation.

Her legal team, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi, maintains that VDM’s actions violate Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrime Act 2015. Chinwo has also filed a separate N1.1 billion lawsuit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, seeking a retraction, deletion, and public apology for the alleged defamatory statements.

Despite VDM’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, pleading for more time to personally present his client in court, Magistrate Iyana refused to vacate the arrest order.