A Wuse Zone 6 Chief Magistrate Court has issued a criminal summons against blogger Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over allegations of defaming gospel singer Mercy Chinwo. The court order, dated March 5, 2025, directs VDM to appear in person on March 13 to respond to the charges brought against him.
The case stems from claims made by VDM on social media, accusing Chinwo of financial misconduct involving her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee. Specifically, he alleged that Chinwo diverted $345,000 linked to a contractual dispute.
In response, Chinwo provided the court with documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to counter the allegations.
Chinwo’s legal team, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Law Corridor, asserts that VDM’s statements violate Section 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime Act 2015. In addition to the criminal case, Chinwo has filed a separate N1.1 billion defamation lawsuit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Her legal counsel is seeking a court order compelling VDM to delete the alleged defamatory posts, issue a public retraction, and apologise.
The dispute follows an ongoing legal battle involving Eezee Tee, who faces allegations of fraudulent conversion. A Federal High Court in Lagos recently upheld an arrest warrant against him, with his arraignment scheduled for March 6, 2025.
According to Chinwo’s legal team, VDM repeatedly posted defamatory content on Instagram between February 2 and 17, 2025, falsely accusing the singer of bypassing her record label to book shows independently without remitting payments. The case is set to proceed as the court examines the evidence and arguments from both parties.
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