Popular Singer SUES VERYDARKMAN FOR DEFAMATION, DEMANDS N1.1BN DAMAGES
Mercy Chinwo, a renowned gospel singer, has taken legal action against social media commentator Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, for alleged defamation.
Last month, Otse made a series of claims about Chinwo on his social media platforms, accusing the singer of diverting funds from shows without compensating her former record label, owned by Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as EeZee Tee.
He further alleged that Chinwo had breached her contract with the label before departing.
Chinwo, through her lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, has now filed a lawsuit against Otse, seeking to clear her name. The lawsuit, filed on March 3, accuses Otse’s statements of being “libellous, malicious, and damaging” to her reputation.
Olajengbesi argues that Otse’s comments were entirely false and misrepresented a private dispute, which he was not a part of, in a way that severely tarnished Chinwo’s public image.
The singer’s legal team has called out Otse for using his influence to spread damaging and false information to his millions of followers.
The lawsuit highlights that Otse’s portrayal of Chinwo was not only inaccurate but was deliberately disparaging. Olajengbesi pointed out that the commentator posted several videos that ridiculed the gospel singer, favoring EeZee Tee’s side in the ongoing dispute.
The lawyer also emphasized that Otse’s posts showed a “caricaturist and disdainful portrayal” of Chinwo, further aggravating the situation. These actions, according to Chinwo’s legal team, were intended to harm the singer’s reputation.
The suit also reveals that Otse was not involved in the dispute between Chinwo and EeZee Tee, yet he falsely made it appear as though he was personally connected to the issue.
According to the legal filings, Otse’s statements about the matter were both false and harmful, and had no basis in reality. Chinwo’s lawyer asserts that the defamatory posts should be removed from all of Otse’s social media platforms immediately.
Chinwo is seeking a court order that would require Otse to retract the defamatory statements, issue an apology on all his social media platforms, and publish a formal retraction in two widely circulated national newspapers.
The gospel singer is also demanding significant compensation for the damage to her reputation, seeking a total of N1 billion in general damages, along with N100 million in punitive and aggravated damages. Additionally, she is asking for N25 million to cover the cost of the lawsuit, as well as 10% interest per annum on the judgment sum until it is fully paid.
The case comes at a time when Chinwo is also involved in an ongoing legal dispute with EeZee Tee. Earlier in January, Chinwo accused Onyedikachukwu of exploitation and threatening her life.
In a video shared on Instagram, she claimed that the record label owner had spread false rumors about her child’s paternity and made threats to her safety.
As a result, Chinwo said she had to leave Lagos and relocate to Port Harcourt in order to protect herself.
Mercy Chinwo’s legal team argues that Otse’s comments have only worsened the situation by spreading additional falsehoods about the singer and her professional relationships.
