Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan has been granted bail in the sum of N2 million over the allegation that he wore a police uniform without permission and falsely presented himself as an officer of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
He was arraigned on Friday, November 1 by the NPF before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Wuse, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the charge marked: CR/510/2024.
The court then gave him N2 million in bail, with the two sureties in the like sum.
The court ruled that the sureties had to register their passports with the FCT, Abuja in addition to being residents of the FCT.
According to the court, the sureties must also provide a means of identification and depose to an affidavit to provide the defendant for his trial whenever required.
The court mandated the police investigating the case to confirm the sureties’ addresses, and they were also instructed to present proof that their utility bills had been paid.
Additionally, the defendant was instructed to sign an affidavit stating that he would always be available for the trial.
Recall, that VeryDarkMan was spotted wearing a uniform resembling that of the NPF in a video that went viral on social media.
He humorously asked his admirers and followers to always refer to him with his new rank rather than calling him an activist, describing himself as an officer of an online division.
However, the defendant eventually apologised publicly for his actions after an earlier encounter with the police that involved a summon.
While warning other video creators to always get the required clearance from law enforcement authorities before using their uniforms for creative purposes, he clarified that he was unaware that wearing such a uniform without authority was illegal.
Verydarkman is not new to controversy as it’d be recalled, on October 15, 2024, many Nigerian media platforms reported that the Lagos State High Court imposed a fine of N500 million on him over defamatory posts and videos about prominent lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
The claim, earlier reported but now deleted or removed by many media platforms, still exists on other platforms such as News Central and various social media posts as seen here and here.
VeryDarkMan had posted on his Instagram page a leaked audio clip allegedly of Bobrisky, in which the popular cross-dresser allegedly implicated Falz and his father.
Falana, during his appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today, denied ever contacting or knowing Bobrisky. He also refuted the N10 million deal allegation, stating that he had secured pardons for numerous convicts without any charges.
He further indicated that he would not pursue criminal charges against VeryDarkMan based on his principle that free speech should never be criminalised but initiated civil proceedings to restore his and his son’s integrity and reputation. He noted that he had requested an apology and retraction from VeryDarkMan, which the influencer failed to provide.
The senior advocate then proceeded to sue VeryDarkMan via an ex-parte originating application on October 9, 2024.
In the ex parte application, heard by a judge on October 10, 2024, Falana sought various preemptive orders against VeryDarkMan ahead of the hearing of the substantive suit. He also sought an order to serve VeryDarkMan through substituted means by serving the suit on his lawyer.
The judge, M. O. Dawodu delivered the ruling in suit no: ID/8584/GCM/2024 on October 14, 2024. According to him, VeryDarkMan’s publications on his social media accounts on September 24, 2024, linking Bobrisky to Falz and his father were defamatory and injurious to their public image.
However, a review of the certified copy of the court ruling did not reveal anywhere that the court ordered the social media influencer to pay a sum of N500 million as a fine.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance