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| Mercy Chinwo and VeryDarkMan |
In a significant legal victory for gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Nyanya, Abuja, has issued an order restraining blogger Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, from publishing further defamatory content against her.
Justice Aliyu Shafa granted the order in response to a motion ex-parte filed by Chinwo’s legal team in suit number FCT/HC/GWD/CV/39/2025 with motion number FCT/HC/NY/M/1371/2025.
Justice Shafa restrained him from "further posting, publishing, sharing, circulating, disseminating or broadcasting through any social media platform or any electronic means, any information, statement or comment whatsoever, in respect of or against the Mercy Chinwo or on any issue relating to the subject matter of this suit, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice."
A Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, had earlier on Thursday, March 13, 2025, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of VeryDarkMan for “criminal defamation” of a Gospel Artist, Mercy Chinwo.
The magistrate 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 leveled against him.
Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna issued the bench warrant following the failure of VeryDarkMan to appear before the Magistrate, despite a court summon on March 5, 2025.
Although lawyer to VeryDarkMan, Deji Adeyanju, appealed to the Magistrate to rethink the bench warrant and that he would personally produce his client in court, the Magistrate 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 are contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
Chinwo's counsel had also dragged VDM before a 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.
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