By Abubakar Yunusa
Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court Abuja, has remanded social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman in police custody.
Justice Olajuwon issued the remand order after the defendant pleaded not guilty to a five-count cybercrime charge preferred against him by the Nigeria Police Force.
In one of the counts, the police alleged that the defendant posted videos on his Instagram handle containing information that was “grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.”
The police told the court that the defendant alleged that one Iyabo Ojo was having indecent sexual relationship with her daughter, even though he knew that the information in the video he posted on Instagram was false.
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Police further alleged that the defendant, in another video he shared on social media, falsely published that an actress, Tonto Dike, was accused of criminal conversion of the proceeds of crowd funding for #JusticeforMohbadMovement, and equally alleged that she was the person behind a controversial gossip blog, Gistlover.
The force maintained that the defendant made the publication “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 Tonto Dike.”
In another video, the prosecution further alleged that the defendant, falsely alleged that top police officers and Senators were having sexual relationship with a now convicted male cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.
The police further alleged that the defendant said Bobrisky was pimping young boys for Senators and Senior Police Officers to sleep with, which statement he “made for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury.”
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The defendant was said to had by his actions, committed the offence of Cyberstalking, contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, thereafter urged the court to release him on bail, pending the determination of the case against him.
Adeyanju noted that the charge contained bailable offences, stressing that the defendant ought to enjoy his right of presumption of innocence as guaranteed under by the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
However, the police said it would need time to respond to the defendant’s bail application.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter till next Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
Verydarkman was earlier arrested and detained in March, by the police over the same allegations, but was later released on administrative bail.