Legal blow for VeryDarkMan as Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo sues him for N1 Billion over defamation

Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, has taken legal action against human rights activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), seeking N1 billion in damages for alleged defamation.

The lawsuit, filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, accuses VDM of spreading false and damaging information about Chinwo. 

Including claims of her involvement in a contractual dispute and the misappropriation of $345,000 connected to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as Eezee Tee.

The dispute began when VDM posted a series of videos and social media posts accusing Chinwo of engaging in underhanded dealings, including taking bookings behind her record label’s back and withholding payment from the label. 

Verydarkman made a post between February 2nd and February 17th, 2025, allegedly ridiculed Chinwo’s character and reputation before millions of his followers.

Chinwo, through her legal representative Pelumi Olajengbesi, has submitted documentary evidence to the court to support her claims that VDM’s statements are entirely false. 

This evidence includes emails and payment receipts that dispute VDM’s accusations.

In the legal suit, Olajengbesi argues that the defamatory content was not only baseless but also intended to damage Chinwo’s image in the eyes of the public and harm her career as a gospel singer.

The lawsuit contends that VDM’s posts were malicious, and that the blogger made the false accusations without provocation.

Furthermore, it asserts that these defamatory statements have caused substantial harm to Chinwo’s public image, professional standing, and emotional well-being.

The gospel singer’s legal team has demanded that VDM remove the defamatory content from all of his social media platforms and issue a formal retraction and apology.

The case comes amidst ongoing legal issues surrounding Eezee Tee, who is also facing serious allegations.

A Federal High Court in Lagos recently confirmed that an arrest warrant against Eezee Tee remains active, with proceedings to resume in March 2025.

However, Chinwo’s defamation lawsuit is unrelated to these charges, as her legal team emphasized that VDM’s accusations against her were entirely unfounded.

Mercy Chinwo is now seeking a court order for VDM to publicly retract his defamatory statements and apologize in two widely circulated national dailies and on all his social media platforms.