A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of blogger Martins Vincent Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, over alleged defamatory statements against gospel singer Mercy Chinwo. The court’s decision came after VeryDarkMan failed to appear in court despite a summons issued on March 5, 2025.

According to reports, VeryDarkMan is accused of making false and damaging claims against Chinwo on social media, including allegations of involvement in a contractual dispute and the diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (Eezee Tee).

Chinwo’s legal team, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi, presented documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to support her claims that VeryDarkMan’s allegations were false and injurious to her reputation.

The court has directed the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies to arrest VeryDarkMan and bring him before the court to respond to the allegations. VeryDarkMan’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, had appealed to the magistrate to reconsider the bench warrant, but the request was denied.