A significant legal battle has emerged between a Nigerian citizen and prominent social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, over alleged financial mismanagement of NGO funds.
Court Summons Reveals Financial Dispute
Onwuka Princewill Chimezie, who identifies as a human rights activist, has filed a lawsuit against VeryDarkMan at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The legal action centers around Chimezie's claim that he was misled into donating money to the Martins Vincent Otse Initiative, the NGO operated by the controversial online personality.
Court documents dated November 13 reveal that Chimezie is seeking N1 million in general damages and an additional N1.5 million to cover litigation costs. The plaintiff states he donated N50,000 to the organization but became concerned when VeryDarkMan failed to provide transparent accounting of how the funds were utilized.
Plaintiff's Demands and Justification
In his statement, Chimezie explained his decision to pursue legal action: "Following VDM's failure to make a proper account for the money I deposited in his NGO account, my team of lawyers have sued him before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. I have no guns and bombs to coerce VDM to account for the money he lured me to pay into his bank account, I only have the court of justice, being the last hope of the common man."
The lawsuit demands that VeryDarkMan provide complete financial transparency regarding all donations received by his NGO. Chimezie has specifically requested an independent forensic audit of the organization's accounts and finances. Additionally, he seeks a court order requiring the refund of any funds found to have been misused or improperly diverted.
Public Reaction and Social Media Responses
The legal action has generated substantial discussion across social media platforms, with Nigerians expressing diverse opinions about the case.
Some commentators questioned the motivation behind the lawsuit. "Because of ordinary 50K u donated to his charity. Did he force you to make the donation? This suit is confusing my confusion," wrote Empero Gabriel Ogbonna.
Others expressed skepticism about the plaintiff's intentions, with Onuoha Munachimso commenting: "Dot in a circle. My brother look for someone else to chase clout with."
However, some social media users supported the legal action, with Favour Ody Nwanyi Nmanuañu stating: "This drama shouldn't end anytime soon because I want to watch it till the end. Please don't stop halfway and don't give us half-baked stories."
The case emerges amid ongoing public scrutiny of VeryDarkMan's NGO activities. Previous reports indicated that another individual had publicly verified the account balance of the organization, suggesting the funds remained intact.
As the legal proceedings unfold in Abuja, this case highlights growing concerns about financial accountability among social media personalities who operate charitable organizations and the importance of transparent financial management in the NGO sector.
