By Onoja Baba, Nigeria
An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6 has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over a criminal defamation case filed by gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyana ordered law enforcement agencies to arrest and produce VDM in court after he failed to honor a summons issued on March 5.
Despite pleas from his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, to personally present him at the next hearing, the court upheld the arrest order. Chinwo accused VDM of making false claims about her involvement in a financial dispute with her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (Eezee Tee), and is also pursuing a ₦1.1 billion defamation suit against him.
The court was presented with documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, as proof of Chinwo’s innocence.
Her legal team, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi, argued that VDM’s actions violated Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrime Act.
The High Court of the FCT is also hearing a separate case demanding a public apology and retraction from VDM.
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