Photo combo of VeryDarkMan (VDM), Nollywood actresses: Tonto Dike, and Iyabo Ojo
Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the trial of social media influencer Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), accused of cyberbullying actresses Tonto Dikeh and Iyabo Ojo, among others, to December 2.
The adjournment was announced on Thursday by Justice Musa Liman after addressing other cases on the court’s schedule.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on May 15, the Inspector-General of Police re-arraigned VDM on a five-count charge related to alleged cyberbullying and cybercrime. In addition to the actresses, VDM is accused of targeting Nigerian singer and producer Samuel Oguachuba, known as Samklef, among others. VDM pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Deji Adeyanju, VDM’s lawyer, requested that his client continue on the bail previously granted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of another Federal High Court. The prosecution counsel, Victor Okoye, raised no objections, and Justice Liman upheld the existing bail conditions, adjourning the case to July 24 for trial.
NAN further notes that VDM was initially arraigned on May 22, 2024, before Justice Olajuwon on similar charges under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015. He was remanded and later granted bail of N10 million on June 10, 2024, with conditions requiring two sureties, each being employees of a reputable company or Level 17 federal civil service officers with proof of three years’ tax clearance. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2024 and filed on March 28, 2024, was reassigned to Justice Liman following Justice Olajuwon’s transfer to another division.
In the charges, VDM is accused of posting a video on October 13, 2023, via his Instagram handle ‘verydarkblackman,’ containing threatening and harassing content aimed at Samuel Oguachuba. On October 29, 2023, he allegedly shared videos on his Instagram accounts with offensive, pornographic, or indecent material targeting Iyabo Ojo, including a claim that she was engaged in an “indecent sexual relationship with her daughter.”
Additionally, on January 19, 2024, VDM is accused of falsely stating on Instagram that Tonto Dikeh was involved in the criminal conversion of crowdfunding proceeds for the Justice for Mohbad Movement and was linked to the Gistlover blog. In a separate count, on March 19, 2024, he allegedly posted videos insulting Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and National Assembly lawmakers, deemed annoying and offensive. (NAN)
