The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, re-arraigned a social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly called VeryDarkMan (VDM), before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for allegedly cyberbullying Nollywood actresses, Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh.
The Police boss also accused VDM of cyberbullying a famous Nigerian producer and singer, Samuel Oguachuba, also known as Samklef, among others.
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VDM was re-arraigned for cyberbullying before Justice Musa Liman on a five-count charge and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, prayed the court to allow VDM to continue on the earlier bail granted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the same Federal High Court.
Counsel to the IGP, Victor Okoye, did not object, and the judge admitted him to the earlier bail terms and adjourned the matter till July 24 for trial.
VDM was on May 22, 2024, arraigned before Justice Olajuwon on same offences contrary to and punishable under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
He was remanded and granted a N10 million bail on June 10, 2024, by the judge with two sureties who must be employee of reputable company or Level 17 officers in a federal civil service with evidence of three years’ tax clearance.
The charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2024 filed on March 28, 2024, was, however, re-assigned to Justice Liman, following Justice Olajuwon’s transfer to another division of the Federal High Court.
In count one, VDM was alleged to have on or about October 13, 2023, intentionally published via a video post on his Instagram handle ‘verydarkblackman’, threatening and using bullying words, to harass Samuel Oguachuba.
In count two, he was alleged to have, on or about October 29, 2023, intentionally posted videos, by means of a computer system on his Instagram handles, which contained information that was grossly offensive, pornographic or indecent, obscene or menacing in character against Iyabo Ojo. In the video, he was alleged to have stated that “one Ivabo Ojo is having an indecent sexual relationship with her daughter.”
VDM was also accused to have, on or about January 19, 2024, knowingly posted videos on his Instagram handles where he “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.”
In count four, the defendant was alleged to have intentionally posted videos on March 19, 2024, on his Instagram handle against the Deputy-Inspector Generals (DIGs) of Police and lawmakers in the National Assembly, considered to be annoying and insulting.
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