The Chief Magistrate Court, sitting at Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of blogger Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), for alleged criminal defamation of the reputation of gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo.
The magistrate ordered the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) together with other law enforcement agencies to arrest VeryDarkMan and produce him before the court to answer to the criminal allegations levelled against him.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna issued the bench warrant on Thursday, March 13, 2025, when VeryDarkMan failed to appear before the magistrate following a court summons on March 5, 2025 for 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, said the alleged actions of the defendant were contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
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.
