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VeryDarkMan Granted Bail, Released From Police Custody
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to prominent social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman.
Following the court’s decision, Otse was released from police custody on Monday after meeting the necessary bail conditions, although the specific details of the conditions remain unclear.
Verydarkman was arraigned on five counts related to cyberstalking, according to police charge sheets obtained by SaharaReporters on May 22. The charges allege that Otse used his Instagram handle to post offensive and false information about individuals, including claims of indecent relationships and prostitution.
The police prosecution team sought additional time to respond to the application, which was granted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon. Initially, the prosecution requested that Otse be remanded in prison, but his legal team successfully argued for him to be kept in police custody instead. He was subsequently taken to the National Cybercrime Centre.
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The charges against Verydarkman include allegations of posting false and offensive information about individuals, including Iyabo Ojo and Bobrisky, with the intention of causing annoyance and insult. The charges fall under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act of 2015.
Verydarkman had previously criticized the Nigerian police for not arresting Bobrisky, a controversial cross-dresser, and accused some police chiefs of having personal relationships with him. The police maintained that there was no law against cross-dressing and no evidence of same-sex relations.
In April, the police confirmed that their case against Verydarkman was ongoing, with the Force Public Relations Officer stating that his delayed release was due to a court order. Verydarkman’s arrest was reportedly based on a series of petitions against his online conduct.
