Martins Otse, a prominent social media activist popularly known as VeryDarkMan, was arraigned on Friday before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court on charges of impersonating a police officer and unauthorized use of a police uniform. VeryDarkMan, who has a large following on social media, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court granted him bail, setting it at N2 million and requiring two sureties of the same amount. The court specified that the sureties must reside within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and submit their passports to the court registry as well as provide proof of identification. Additionally, the sureties are to complete an affidavit guaranteeing that they will make sure VeryDarkMan attends his court proceedings. The police were tasked with verifying the sureties’ addresses, and the sureties must also present evidence of their utility bill payments.
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The charges against Otse stem from a viral video in which he appeared in a uniform resembling that of the Nigeria Police Force, claiming the rank of “CSP of an online division.” In the video, he humorously told his followers to refer to him by this rank instead of calling him an activist. After the video gained attention, the police invited him to explain his actions, resulting in his detention on Thursday.
Following the summons, Otse publicly apologized, stating he was unaware that wearing a police uniform without proper authorization was an offense. In his apology, he warned fellow content creators to obtain clearances from law enforcement before using police symbols or uniforms in videos or photos. Despite the apology, the FCT Police Command announced it would proceed with prosecution, emphasizing the need to protect the integrity of police symbols and prevent misuse.