Controversial social media influencer, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has once again been dragged to court, this time for allegedly cyberbullying popular Nigerian celebrities including Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh, and music producer Samklef.
VDM was re-arraigned on Thursday before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge brought by the office of the Inspector-General of Police. He pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, appealed to the court to allow VDM to remain on the bail terms previously granted in June 2024, a request which the court approved. The case has been adjourned till July 24, 2025, for trial.
The charges stem from videos VDM allegedly posted between October 2023 and March 2024 on his Instagram page. He is accused of using “threatening,” “obscene,” and “false” words to harass, intimidate, and defame various individuals online.
The charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2024 dated and 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 Oct. 13, 2023, intentionally published via a video posted on his Instagram handle ‘verydarkblackman’, (aka verydarkblackman) threatening and bullying words, to harass Samuel Oguachuba.
In count two, he was alleged to have, on or about Oct 29, 2023, intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on his Instagram handles which contained information that was grossly offensive, pornographic or of an 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 Jan. 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 Mobbad 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.
The court noted that the allegations, if proven, are punishable under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
By Ezinne Okorie.
