Court Adjourns Activist VeryDarkMan’s Trial For Alleged Cyberbullying Of Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh
Court Adjourns Activist VeryDarkMan’s Trial For Alleged Cyberbullying Of Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh To December
The adjournment came after the presiding judge, Justice Musa Liman, heard other matters on the court’s cause list before rising.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the trial of controversial social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to December 2.
The adjournment came after the presiding judge, Justice Musa Liman, heard other matters on the court’s cause list before rising.
VDM is facing a five-count charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police, bordering on alleged cyberbullying and cybercrime.
The charges include accusations of online harassment against Nollywood actresses Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh, as well as music producer Samuel Oguachuba, popularly known as Samklef.
At his arraignment on May 15, VDM pleaded not guilty.
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, urged the court to allow him to remain on the bail earlier granted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, which the prosecution did not oppose.
Justice Liman upheld the bail terms and fixed the matter for trial on July 24, but proceedings were again delayed.
VDM was first arraigned on May 22 before Justice Olajuwon under the Cybercrime Act, 2015.
He was remanded and later granted a N10 million bail with strict conditions, including two sureties who must be senior federal civil servants or employees of reputable organizations, along with proof of three years’ tax clearance.
Following Justice Olajuwon’s transfer, the case was reassigned to Justice Liman. According to court documents marked FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2024, VDM is accused in count one of posting a video on October 13, 2023, via his Instagram account ‘verydarkblackman,’ allegedly containing threatening and harassing content aimed at Samklef.
In count two, he is accused of uploading videos on October 29, 2023, said to contain offensive, indecent, and obscene material targeting Iyabo Ojo.
In the video, he was alleged to have stated that “one Iyabo Ojo is having indecent sexual relationship with her daughter.”
VDM was also accused of having, on or about January 19, 2024, knowingly posted videos on his Instagram handles where he “falsely published that King Tonto Dikeh is accused of criminal conversion of the proceeds of crowd funding for Justice for Mobbad Movement, and being the person behind the gistlover blog.”
In count four, the defendant was alleged to have intentionally posted videos on March 19, 2024, on his Instagram handle against the Deputy-Inspector Generals (DIGs) of Police and lawmakers in the National Assembly, which were considered to be annoying and insulting.
