Renowned gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has filed a N1.1 billion defamation lawsuit against social media personality, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The lawsuit stems from a series of posts in which the blogger allegedly made false claims against Chinwo, accusing her of financial misconduct related to a contractual dispute and the diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as EeZee Tee.
Chinwo’s legal representative, Pelumi Olajengbesi, filed the suit requesting the court to order the blogger to delete all defamatory posts, issue a formal retraction, and publish a public apology on his social media platforms as well as in national newspapers.
The singer has submitted documentary evidence, including emails and payment records, to refute the allegations, asserting that the claims were fabricated to damage her reputation.
According to court filings, the blogger posted defamatory content on his Instagram handle on multiple dates—February 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, and 17, 2025—alleging that Chinwo engaged in secret financial dealings, manipulated legal proceedings, and played a role in the alleged detention of EeZee Tee by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for media advantage.
The lawsuit demands that the blogger remove all posts containing defamatory content and publish an unreserved apology in at least two widely circulated national newspapers. Additionally, Chinwo seeks:
- A second apology to be published in four national dailies for 14 consecutive days
- N1 billion in general damages for defamation
- N100 million in punitive and aggravated damages
- N25 million to cover legal expenses
- A 10% annual interest on the judgment sum until full payment is made
The defamation suit comes at a time when a Federal High Court in Lagos has upheld an arrest warrant against EeZee Tee over allegations of fraudulent conversion, adjourning his case to March 6, 2025, for arraignment.
While Chinwo maintains that she has no direct involvement in EeZee Tee’s legal troubles, her lawsuit argues that the blogger deliberately misrepresented events to damage her public image.
