Abuja, Nigeria (May 22, 2024) – Martin Otse, a controversial social media critic known by his online alias VeryDarkMan, has been remanded in police custody until his next court hearing scheduled for next Wednesday.
The Federal High Court in Abuja arraigned Otse on Wednesday, where he faced five counts of cyberstalking related to allegations against the Nigeria Police and Nollywood actresses Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh.
Otse pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, requested bail for his client, but the police prosecuting team requested additional time to respond to the application. Consequently, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon adjourned the bail hearing to May 29.
The prosecution initially sought to have Otse remanded in prison custody. However, his defense team successfully argued for his detention in police custody instead. Following the court’s decision, Otse was taken to the National Cybercrime Centre.
The charges against Otse detail multiple incidents involving false and offensive social media posts:
October 29, 2023: Otse allegedly posted a video on his Instagram handle, “verydarkblackman,” falsely claiming that Iyabo Ojo had an indecent sexual relationship with her daughter. This act was charged under Section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
January 19, 2024: Otse reportedly accused King Tonto Dikeh of criminal conversion of crowdfunding proceeds and being the person behind the Gistlover blog. This accusation was intended to cause annoyance and harm, violating Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act.
March 19, 2024: Otse is accused of posting a video alleging that senior police officers and lawmakers were involved in sexual activities with Bobrisky. This post was aimed at causing annoyance and inconvenience, breaching Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act.
March 19, 2024: On the same day, Otse allegedly posted another video claiming that Bobrisky was pimping young boys to senators and senior police officers, further violating Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act.
The court documents state that Otse knowingly and intentionally posted these videos with the intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, and other forms of harm to the individuals involved.
Otse’s case has garnered significant public attention, reflecting broader concerns about the impact of social media on personal reputations and the legal boundaries of online expression. As the court proceedings continue, all eyes will be on the upcoming bail hearing and the subsequent developments in this high-profile case.