- A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for VeryDarkMan.
- The warrant is related to a legal dispute with Mercy Chinwo, who has accused VDM of defamation.
- Mercy Chinwo filed a lawsuit against VDM for ₦1.1 billion, seeking damages and a public retraction of his statements.
A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Nigerian online critic Vincent Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM). The court’s decision stems from an ongoing legal dispute with gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, who accused him of defamation.
Mercy Chinwo had earlier filed a ₦1.1 billion lawsuit against VDM, demanding both damages and a public retraction of his statements about her. The controversy arose after the critic made several online claims regarding the singer’s conflict with her former manager, EeZee Tee.
On Thursday, March 13, 2025, Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna granted the arrest order after VDM failed to appear in court on March 5, despite being formally summoned. Reports from The Cable indicate that VDM’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, pleaded for leniency, assuring the court that his client would attend future hearings. However, the judge denied the request.
VDM had previously accused Mercy Chinwo of engaging in shady activities regarding her legal battle with EeZee Tee. He suggested that the judge overseeing the case should be replaced, alleging bias due to his admiration for the gospel singer. Additionally, he claimed that an EFCC official involved in the case was connected to Mercy Chinwo’s husband.
The arrest order has sparked public reactions, with supporters and critics of VDM weighing in on the matter. While some believe his remarks were an exercise of free speech, others argue that he crossed the line into defamation.
As the case unfolds, all eyes remain on the court’s next steps and whether VDM will comply with the summons or face further legal consequences.
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