"I deliberately brought this case back because I see many of you have moved on, which is why our government cannot take us seriously, because we are so quick to move on".
Popular social media activist, Vincent Otse Martins, aka VeryDarkMan, has found a special way of getting Nigerians talking as the second quarter begins.
He shared an alleged voice recording between Sam Larry, a Nigerian music promoter, and singer Zlatan Ibile, discussing the events surrounding the death of the late singer, Mohbad.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
This has come barely a few days after VDM's unscripted live interview with Sam Larry.
The recording has gone viral. The audio appears to feature Zlatan conversing with Sam Larry in Yoruba. Zlatan expressed his concerns about getting himself involved in the controversies surrounding Mohbad's death. He cited the drama and trolling that followed for speaking out on social media.
VeryDarkMan, who shared the recording on his Instagram page, has given Zlatan a 48-hour ultimatum to publicly address the situation and explain his choice to remain silent during the initial calls for the justice of Mohbad.
He said, "I am going to be playing a voice recording between Zlatan and Sam Larry, during the time Mohad died, now I expect in 48 hours Zlatan will come out to explain what he knows and why he did not speak out when we were seeking justice for Mohbad."
Critics
Furthermore, VDM responded to those criticising him for revisiting the case. He stated that they are not genuine in their desire for justice. "I see a lot of comments saying, VDM, why did you bring this case back? It shows that a lot of you are ingrates. I deliberately brought this case back because many of you have moved on. That is why our government cannot take us seriously; we are so quick to move on," he said.
He emphasised his commitment to seeking justice for Mohbad, highlighting that the singer has yet to be buried. "I really want to get justice for the boy. He has not been buried, and his spirit is moving around. While some people knew the truth, they distracted everybody and used bullying to cover it up, and you, Zlatan, you kept quiet," he said.
He also criticised those who allegedly knew the truth but used intimidation to suppress it, saying, "I don start that case again. Anybody, wey no like am make e enter bush, but you are not a real person if you ask me why I brought back the case again. So you want to make the case go down and say you want justice for the boy. You all are fake, a lot of you."
While some have frowned at the new development and openly supported Zlatan, who is vacationing in Spain, for staying silent, others have urged him to share his side of the story.
Sam Larry
Barely three days ago, PREMIUM TIMES reported Sam Larry with VDM, publicly calling Zlatan as his witness that he had never laid a hand on the late singer Mohbad, talk more, kill him.
Larry said, "I didn't threaten Mohbad with boys. I only went to the beach to buy something for my child. When I got there, I saw Mohbad and others shooting a video, so I approached them, and some of the beach boys followed me. When I reached where the video was being shot, I told Mohbad he would not leave if he didn't pay the money he owed me. Zlatan held me back and told me I had passed that level, and that was how the matter ended.
"Nobody touched Mohbad. Zlatan is my witness because he was there. I only saw Mohbad twice in the year he died. The first time was in a club. Naira Marley and I were leaving the club while Mohbad was entering. Naira Marley didn't see him because I was behind. I have never in my life touched Mohbad or attempted to beat him. The police invited me because of the petition Mohbad wrote, where he falsely accused me of damaging his camera and claimed that Elegushi sent boys to kill him."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The controversies surrounding Mohbad's death have implicated the lives and careers of many people Naira Marley, Sam Larry, the singer's widow, Wummi, and his best friend Ibrahim Owodunni, aka Primeboy.
Naira and Larry had been locked up by the Nigerian police for several days shortly after the death of the artiste, and later were arraigned before the court countless times.
In February, a Magistrate Court in Yaba officially ruled them out of the case as no evidence was traced back to them. However, the deceased's father opposed the court's decision and went on to the Lagos High Court. Hearings on the matter have been scheduled to begin tomorrow, 2 July.
This recent move by VDM has set a new precedent and direction for further investigations.
