Prominent Nigerian lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, through his firm Falana & Falana Chambers, has successfully secured bail for social media influencer and blogger, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, following his arrest on June 30, 2024, as reported by SaharaReporters.
The law firm provided pro bono legal services in the case, demonstrating their commitment to defending the rights of individuals facing legal challenges.
VeryDarkMan’s arrest stemmed from allegations of criminal defamation related to a social media post. According to court documents (Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/149/2024), the 29-year-old blogger is accused of cyberstalking Samuel Oguachuba, better known as music producer Samklef.
It is alleged that VeryDarkMan made threatening comments on his Instagram account, which were widely viewed and circulated online. The post reportedly contained intimidating remarks that could instill fear of violence or bodily harm towards Oguachuba.
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A source at Falana & Falana Chambers confirmed that the law firm has never charged VeryDarkMan for their legal services, having intervened on his behalf on two separate occasions without collecting any fees.
The source reaffirmed the firm’s commitment to providing pro bono legal support to those in need, stating, “Our firm has never charged nor taken a kobo from the defendant for any of these cases but has expended resources for his assistance pro bono.”
Marshal Abubakar of Falana & Falana’s Chambers led the legal team in Vincent Otse’s criminal trial, with additional support from lawyer Deji Adeyanju. They played a crucial role in securing and perfecting Otse’s bail, despite the severity of the allegations against him.
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“On Sunday, June 30, 2024, Vincent Otse was arrested again over another case of criminal defamation, and our firm was actively involved in securing his release from police custody pro bono,” a source from the firm disclosed to SaharaReporters.
Arrest and Allegations
Following his arrest on June 30, the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Benneth Igwe, confirmed Otse’s release later that evening. His lawyer, Mr. Adeyanju, revealed that the influencer was apprehended for exposing someone who allegedly duped a Nigerian citizen abroad.
The case has attracted significant public attention, especially after a controversy involving an audio recording of cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was shared by VeryDarkMan.
In the recording, Bobrisky reportedly claimed to have bribed officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with N15 million to drop money laundering charges against her. The crossdresser also alleged that her ‘godfather’ and the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, ensured she served her six-month sentence for abusing the naira in a private apartment instead of a prison facility.
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The recording triggered a series of allegations from VeryDarkMan, including claims that Falana sought a presidential pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for N10 million. The Falanas have categorically denied these accusations and issued legal notices demanding a retraction of the defamatory statements.
Court Proceedings and Legal Battle
During the court proceedings for Case FHC/ABJ/CR/149/2024 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, presented multiple charges against Otse, including cyberstalking, which is punishable under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015. The specific counts include:
Count 1: Making threatening and bullying comments on his Instagram handle, causing fear of death or violence.
Count 2: Posting grossly offensive, obscene, or menacing content about Iyabo Ojo’s relationship with her daughter.
Count 3: Falsely accusing King Tonto Dikeh of criminal conversion related to crowdfunding proceeds.
Count 4: Defaming top officials of the Nigeria Police Force and the National Assembly with claims of illicit relationships with Bobrisky.
Count 5: Alleging that Bobrisky was involved in the pimping of young boys for Senators and senior police officers.
Despite the multiple charges, the legal support from Falana & Falana’s Chambers ensured that Otse’s bail was perfected and his release secured.
Speaking on the firm’s involvement, a representative said, “With the legal support from Falana & Falana’s Chambers, Otse’s bail was perfected, and he was released.”