The Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of controversial social media personality VeryDarkMan (VDM) over the alleged defamation of renowned Nigerian gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna issued the order on Thursday, March 13, 2025, after VDM failed to appear before the court despite being summoned on March 5, 2025.
VDM’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the development, criticizing the prosecution’s approach.
“Yes, a bench warrant has been issued against him for failure to show up in court. They are just interested in a media trial; they are not serious about prosecution,” Adeyanju stated.
He further revealed that he had previously requested permission to appear on VDM’s behalf, but the court denied the request, insisting that the social media personality must be physically present.
The case stems from VDM’s social media allegations, where he accused Mercy Chinwo of involvement in a contractual dispute and the alleged diversion of $345,000 connected to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as Eezee Tee.
However, Chinwo, through her legal team led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of the Abuja-based Law Corridor, provided emails, payment receipts, and other documents to dispute the claims. The evidence, she argued, proved that VDM’s accusations were false, defamatory, and damaging to her reputation.
Legal Violations and Next Steps
According to Chinwo’s legal counsel, VDM’s alleged actions violate:
- Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, which criminalizes online defamation and false information.
- Section 391 of the Penal Code, which deals with defamation and reputational harm.
With the bench warrant now in effect, law enforcement agencies are expected to track and arrest VDM for further legal proceedings.
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