The Inspector-General (IG) of Police (IGP), on Thursday, re-arraigned a social media influencer, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), before a Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly cyberbullying Nollywood actresses, Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh.
Besides Ojo and Dikeh, VDM was also alleged to have cyber-bullied a Nigerian producer and singer, Samuel Oguachuba, also known as Samklef, among others.
He was re-arraigned before Justice Musa Liman on five-count charge, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Following his not guilty plea, his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, prayed the court to allow the defendant continue on the earlier bail granted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of same Federal High Court.
The request was accordingly granted after the prosecution counsel, Victor Okoye, did not object.
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 computer system on his Instagram handles which contained information that was grossly offensive, pornographic or indecent, obscene or menacing character against Iyabo Ojo. In the video, he was alleged to have stated that “one Ivabo Ojo is having 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.
Meanwhile, trial commences on July 24.
