Bobrisky, Tonto Dike: How, Why Verydarkman Was Remanded In Police Custody

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of a blogger, Martins Vincent Otse, also known as Verydarkman in police custody.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon issued the order on Wednesday, May 22, after Otse pleaded not guilty to a five-count charge bordering on cybercrime, brought against him Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The police, in one of the counts in the charge, accused Otse of posting videos on his Instagram handle ‘verydarkblackman,’ containing information that was “grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.”

Accident to the police, Otse claimed that one Iyabo Ojo was having an indecent sexual relationship with her daughter, even though he knew that the information in the video he posted on Instagram was false.

The police also stated that Otse, in another video he shared on social media, falsely published that an actress, Tonto Dike, was accused of criminal conversion of the proceeds of crowdfunding for #JusticeforMohbadMovement, and equally alleged that she was the person behind a controversial gossip blog, Gistlover.

It added that Otse made the publication “for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to the person of the said King Tonto Dike.”

The police further alleged that, in another video, Otse posted on social media, falsely alleged that top police officers and Senators were having a sexual relationship with a now convicted male cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.

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According to the police, Otse added that Bobrisky was pimping young boys for Senators and senior police officers to sleep with, which statement he “made for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury.”

Otse was said to have, by his actions, committed the offence of Cyberstalking, contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015.

Shortly after Otse pleaded not guilty to the charge, the prosecuting lawyer applied that the defendant be remanded in prison pending trial.

Defence lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, urged the court to release him on bail, pending trial.

The defence lawyer argued that the offences charged are bailable.

Adeyanju added that his client ought to enjoy his right of presumption of innocence as guaranteed by the Constitution

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Justice Olajuwon however ordered that the defendant be kept in police custody pending when the prosecution will respond to the bail application filed by the defendant.

She adjourned till May 29 for a hearing of the bail application.

(The Nation, excluding headline)