Controversial social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has blasted the judiciary over what he calls a deliberate attempt to ensure that Mercy Chinwo wins her case against him. Reacting to the VDM arrest warrant issued by a Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court in Abuja, the activist alleged that forum-shopping judges are being used to silence him.
In a fiery video on his X handle, VDM declared, “The judiciary wants Mercy Chinwo to win. They are using forum-shopping judges to target me, but I will not back down.”
The VDM arrest warrant stems from allegations of criminal defamation against gospel singer Mercy Chinwo. However, VDM insists that the order is illegal and politically motivated, questioning how one magistrate could handle six cases from the same lawyer in a single day. He called it judicial manipulation.
VDM Slams Nigerian Judiciary Over “Forum-Shopping” Judges
The VDM arrest warrant has ignited public debate, with the activist accusing some judges of engaging in forum shopping, the unethical practice of selecting judges who are more likely to issue favorable rulings for a particular party.
“There is a plot to use the judiciary to silence me, but I will expose everyone paying for this corruption,” VDM declared.
He further questioned the fairness of the legal system:
“How can a single magistrate handle six cases from one lawyer in one day and then order my arrest?”
VDM also argued that the VDM arrest warrant is unjustified since he is not in Nigeria and has never missed a court appearance for his ongoing case.
Nyanya Court Also Issues Gag Order Against VDM in Mercy Chinwo Case
Adding to his claims of judicial suppression, VDM revealed that a Nyanya court also issued an order barring him from mentioning Mercy Chinwo and her manager, Eezee Tee.
“So, on the same day they ordered my arrest, another court in Nyanya issued an injunction stopping me from talking about Mercy Chinwo. This same magistrate had already ruled that I should not speak on this case. Now, the judge in Nyanya that gave this latest order was recently promoted from magistrate to judge. If you check the affidavit, it is very scanty. No reasonable person would give an order based on it,” he alleged.
VDM also pointed out that higher courts had ruled against similar ex-parte orders, yet some judges continue issuing them.
“I warned all judges to stop this ex-parte order nonsense, but why is this judge in Nyanya still doing it?” he questioned.
VDM: “They Want to Handcuff Me for the Cameras”
VDM believes his opponents want to stage a media spectacle by ensuring he is arrested upon his return to Nigeria. According to him, the goal is to humiliate him publicly by showing him in handcuffs to create the impression that Mercy Chinwo has won the legal battle.
“I know their plans. They want headlines saying ‘VeryDarkMan was handcuffed upon arrival in Nigeria.’ They want to push the narrative that Mercy Chinwo won. But even if they arrest me, the truth remains—this is an abuse of power and judicial influence,” he insisted.
The Judiciary Wants Mercy to Win?
Despite the legal pressure, VDM remains defiant, refusing to back down. He insists that the VDM arrest warrant is part of a larger conspiracy to ensure that Mercy Chinwo wins her case against him.
