Social media critic Vincent Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has been summoned by the Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6 following a defamation lawsuit filed against him by gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
In a court order dated March 5, 2025, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna instructed VDM to personally appear before the court on March 13, 2025, to respond to the allegations leveled against him.
The lawsuit stems from VDM’s social media statements, where he accused Chinwo of contractual misconduct and the alleged diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (Eezee Tee).
To counter these claims, Chinwo provided documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, asserting that VDM’s accusations were false, damaging, and intended to tarnish her reputation.
Her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, argued that VDM’s actions violated Section 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015. In addition to the criminal case, Chinwo’s legal team has filed a ₦1.1 billion civil suit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The lawsuit demands that VDM deletes, retracts, and publicly apologizes for the allegedly defamatory remarks.
In a related legal battle, a Federal High Court in Lagos ruled on February 17, 2025, that the arrest warrant for Eezee Tee over alleged fraudulent conversion remains in effect, with his arraignment set for March 6, 2025.
According to Olajengbesi, VDM’s accusations—made in multiple social media posts between February 2 and 17—were unprovoked and aimed at damaging Chinwo’s reputation.
With the legal proceedings now underway, VDM is expected to appear before the magistrate on March 13, 2025, where the court will decide the next course of action in the defamation case.
