A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Nyanya has reserved judgment in the ongoing legal dispute between Jeremiah Fufeyin, founder of the Delta State-based Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry (CMDM), and activist Martin ‘Verydarkman (VDM)’ Otse.

In April, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ihensekhien Samuel, counsel to Mr Fufeyin, stated that Justice A.Y. Shafa heard all pending applications filed by his client and VDM’s preliminary objection.

Mr Samuel also noted that VDM pledged to refrain from making further defamatory statements against the plaintiff or interfering with the legal proceedings.

The judge reserved judgment until 2 July, but no further proceedings occurred until Thursday.

However, in a statement issued after Thursday’s court session, Mr Samuel confirmed that Justice Shafa granted a full injunction against VDM and dismissed his objections in the ongoing case.

“The FCT High Court today in two court rulings against Verydarkman dismissed all preliminary objections filed by Verydarkman and instead granted a complete interlocutory order of status quo ante bellum till the final suit is determined in respect of the case filed by Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Funfenyi of Deliverance Mercyland International Ministry in Warri, Delta State.

“The FCT High Court today in its court proceedings delivered the court ruling upon hearing the motion on notice of interlocutory injunctive orders filed by Prophet Jeremiah Funfenyi, counsel Ihensekhien Samuel, before the court”, Mr Samuel said in the statement.

Mr Samuel stated that the court granted a full status quo injunction against VDM, restraining him from publishing any further libellous content online or engaging in defamatory actions against his client.

He noted that the court addressed and resolved the three issues raised in VDM’s preliminary objections in response to Mr Jeremiah’s suit.

According to him, the court dismissed VDM’s preliminary objections, describing them as lacking merit and merely technical.

He said, “The judge stated that doing substantial justice meant ruling against VDM’s objections. According to the statement of claim filed by Prophet Jeremiah’s then lead counsel, Joel Karatu, in July 2024, the claimant chronicled various alleged libellous Facebook and social media publications made against him by Verydarkman.

“The plaintiff lamented that the defamatory content caused him incalculable damage and brought him ridicule among members of his church and business partners spread across the globe. In the case of alleged libel and defamation, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin accused Verydarkman of operating on different social media platforms and portraying him in a bad light.”

Mr Samuel, however, added that Justice Shafa adjourned the matter until 27th October for the continuation and conclusion of the hearing.

In August 2024, this newspaper reported that Mr Fufeyin filed a N1 billion lawsuit against VDM after the latter publicly questioned the authenticity of his faith-based products, which included a spiritual shirt, miracle water, and mustard seed, among others.

VDM, an anti-fraud activist, challenged the prophet to provide the products’ NAFDAC certification numbers.

He demonstrated the purported effectiveness of Mr Fufeyin’s miracle items in a 24-minute YouTube video featuring their administration to individuals with disabilities.

The video also captured experiments at an undisclosed facility in Abuja, which houses around 1,500 people with physical challenges.

VDM accused the clergyman of exploiting vulnerable people by selling ineffective ‘miracle items.’

In response, Mr Fufeyin maintained that the potency of the products depends on the user’s love for him and faith in his ministry.

Since then, the legal case has remained ongoing, marked by multiple adjournments.