A Federal High Court in Abuja remanded social media influencer and blogger Martins Vincent Otse, also known as Verydarkman, in police custody after the police challenged his bail plea.
Platinum Times Nigeria on Wednesday obtained the police charge sheets saying VeryDarkMan was arraigned on five counts bordering on cyberstalking.
The case was adjourned to next Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
The police prosecuting team told Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court that they needed more time to respond to application and they were obliged by the court.
The police prosecution moved to have thr blogger remanded in prison custody but his lawyers made an application for him to be kept in police custody.
The court granted their request and he was subsequently taken to the National Cybercrime Centre.
Some of the charges read, “That you Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) ‘M’, 29 YRS of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja on or about 29th October, 2023, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on your Instagram handles ‘verydarkblackman’, which video contained information that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character wherein you stated that one Iyabo Ojo is having indecent sexual relationship with her daughter knowing or having reasons to believe that the information in the video you posted on your Instagram handle is false and you thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015.
“COUNT 3 That you Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) ‘M’, 29 YRS of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja on or about 19th January, 2024, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on your Instagram handles ‘verydarkblackman’ containing information you know or had reasons believe to be false, wherein in the video you falsely published that King Tonto Dikeh is accused of criminal conversion of the proceeds of crowd funding for Justice for Mohbad Movement, and being the person behind the gistlover blog, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to the person of the said King Tonto Dike and you thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015.
“COUNT 4 That you Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) ‘M’, 29 YRS of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja on or about 19th March, 2024, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on your Instagram handle ‘verydarkblackman’, containing information which you know or had reasons to believe to be false, wherein you stated the following, ‘I put it to you say the DIGs of the Police dem dey knack Bobrisky. The senators for senate house dey knack Bobrisky…I dare the Nigeria Police, I said what I said, the DIGs are knacking him, the Law makers, the Senate are knacking him in the National Assembly’ which statement you made for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to the persons of the DIGs of the Nigeria Police Force and members of the National Assembly and you thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015.
“COUNT 5 That you Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) ‘M’, 29 YRS of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja on or about 19th March, 2024, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on your Instagram handles ‘verydarkblackman’ containing information you know or had reasons to believe to be false, wherein you stated that Bobrisky is pimping young boys for Senators and Senior Police Officers to sleep with, which statement you made for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury.”
Recently, VeryDarkMan had condemned the Nigerian police for not arresting controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
VeryDarkMan in recent videos condemned the award of Best Dressed Female to the cross-dresser at a Nollywood event. However, the Nigeria Police Force said at that time that it could not arrest Bobrisky because there was no law against cross-dressing in the country and that there was no prove that he was engaging in same-sex relations.
In April, the police said that their case against VeryDarkMan was not yet over.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, adding that the delayed release of the controversial social media influencer from detention was based on a court order.
Platinum Times Nigeria had reported that VeryDarkMan was arrested by the police over claims that they had received a series of petitions against his conduct online.
