The Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has issued a summons for blogger Martins Vincent Otse, known online as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to appear on March 13, 2025, in response to allegations of criminal defamation brought by gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
The summons, dated March 5, 2025, stems from VDM’s social media posts accusing Chinwo of misappropriating $345,000 allegedly linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
Chinwo has denied these allegations, presenting evidence to refute the claims, and has filed a criminal complaint citing violations of the Penal Code and Cybercrime Act. Additionally, she has initiated a ₦1.1 billion defamation lawsuit against VDM, demanding the deletion of defamatory posts, a public apology, and a retraction of his statements.
In reaction to the summons, VDM’s legal representative, Deji Adeyanju, stated that his client’s comments cannot be criminalized.
The court has also issued a restraining order against VDM, prohibiting further defamatory statements against Chinwo pending the outcome of the case.
VDM is expected to appear in court on March 13, 2025, to address the charges.
