VeryDarkMan was arrested and detained for a similar offence on 22 March 2024.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday remanded the controversial social media influencer, Martin Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, for allegedly cyberbullying actresses Tonto Dike and Iyabo Ojo.
VeryDarkMan, arrested and detained for a similar offence on 22 March 2024, was remanded in police custody after appearing before the court on a five-count charge.
VeryDarkMan's alleged offence also included accusing Tonto of being associated with the Gistlover blog.
According to Punch, the social media influencer will remain in police custody till the next hearing of his case, which is scheduled for 29 May. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, applied for his bail. However, the police prosecution requested more time to consider the application, prompting Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon to postpone the hearing.
While the prosecution pushed for VeryDarkMan to be held in prison custody, his lawyer opposed it. VDM was later taken to the National Cybercrime Centre.
Charges against VDM
The charges against him read, "1. Posting a video on October 29, 2023, on his Instagram handle 'verydarkblackman' that contained offensive, pornographic, or menacing information, falsely alleged that Iyabo Ojo had an indecent sexual relationship with her daughter, violating Section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
"Charge 2: On January 19, 2024, you posted a video on Instagram falsely accusing King Tonto Dikeh of criminal conversion of crowdfunding proceeds and being behind the Gistlover blog, intending to cause annoyance, inconvenience, and other harm in violation of Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act.
"Charge 3: On 19th January 2024, you falsely published that King Tonto Dikeh is accused of criminal conversion of the proceeds of crowdfunding for Justice for Mohbad Movement and being the person behind the gistlover blog to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to the person of the said King Tonto Dike and you thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015
"Posting a video on 19 March 2024 alleging that senior police officers and lawmakers were involved in sexual activities with Bobrisky, intending to cause annoyance, inconvenience, and other harm, in violation of Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act.
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"COUNT 4 That you, Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) 'M', 29 YRS of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja, on or about 19th March 2024, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, using computer system on your Instagram handle 'verydarkblackman', containing information which you know or had reasons to believe to be false, wherein you stated the following, 'I put it to you say the DIGs of the Police dem dey knack Bobrisky.
The senators for senate house dey knack Bobrisky...I dare the Nigeria Police; I said what I said, the DIGs are knacking him, the Lawmakers, the Senate are knacking him in the National Assembly, which statement you made to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to the persons of the DIGs of the Nigeria Police Force and members of the National Assembly.
You thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015.
"Posting another video on March 19, 2024, claiming that Bobrisky was pimping young boys to senators and senior police officers, intending to cause annoyance, inconvenience, and other harm, in violation of Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime Act.
"COUNT 5 You stated that Bobrisky is pimping young boys for Senators and Senior Police Officers to sleep with, which statement you made to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury."
