Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has filed a lawsuit against social media personality Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), for alleged defamation.
In February, VDM accused Chinwo of embezzling funds from performances without settling debts with her former record label, which was owned by Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu. He also alleged that Chinwo breached her contract with the label before her departure.
In a lawsuit filed on March 3, Chinwo’s lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, described VDM’s comments as “libellous, malicious, and damaging” to the singer’s reputation.
Olajengbesi argued that VDM was not involved in the dispute between Chinwo and EeZee Tee, yet he wrongfully presented the situation in a way that harmed Chinwo’s image.
The lawyer accused VDM of sharing multiple videos with his large following that mockingly depicted Chinwo in a negative light, while supporting EeZee Tee’s side of the issue. Olajengbesi emphasized that these videos were intentionally designed to ridicule Chinwo.
He stated, “The Claimant asserts that she has had no personal relationship with the Defendant, nor was the Defendant involved in any way with the dispute between the Claimant and Mr. EeZee Tee. The Defendant’s statements in the videos posted on his Instagram were misleading, portraying him as personally involved in the matter, and were false and damaging to the Claimant’s public image and reputation.”
The lawyer is seeking a court order for VDM to remove the defamatory posts from all his social media platforms.
He is also requesting that the court mandate VDM to retract the statements and issue a public apology on all his platforms and in two widely circulated national newspapers.
Additionally, Olajengbesi is seeking N1 billion in general damages for defamation, N100 million in punitive and aggravated damages, N25 million for legal costs, and a 10% annual interest on the judgment amount until full payment is made. The lawyer also asked for VDM to publish the apology in four national dailies for 14 consecutive days.
In January, Chinwo accused Onyedikachukwu (EeZee Tee) of exploitation, threats to her life, and spreading false rumors about her child’s paternity, which has contributed to their ongoing feud.
In an Instagram video, Chinwo claimed that EeZee Tee had threatened her safety, forcing her to move from Lagos to Port Harcourt in Rivers State. Without naming him, she stated, “He threatened my life, and I had to leave Lagos to seek safety.”
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