BREAKING: Court Orders Arrest on VDM Over Mercy Chinwo’s Defamation Suit

An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Wuse Zone 6 has ordered the arrest of Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan(VDM), a social media activist.

According to VANGUARD, the Magistrate Court on Thursday, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Verydarkman after failure to honour a summons issued on March 5, directing him to appear for a proceeding in a criminal defamation case brought by renowned gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo.

In his ruling, Magistrate Emmanuel Iyana ordered the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies to arrest VDM and produce him before the court to answer to allegations levelled against him by Mercy Chinwo.

VDM was alleged to have made defamatory statements against the singer through his social media page, claiming she was involved in contractual dispute and diverted $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (Eezee Tee)

Mercy chinwo’s legal team, led by Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, insisted that VDM’s actions contravened Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.

The singer had provided documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to establish her innocence. Her counsel also instituted a N1.1 billion suit against VDM at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking a retraction, deletion, and public apology for the alleged defamatory statements.

Despite a passionate plea by VDM’s counsel, Mr. Deji Adeyanju, Magistrate Emmanuel Iyana declined to vacate the arrest order, prompting the issuance of the bench warrant.

VANGUARD