ABUJA — A popular social media activist, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, was arraigned before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Wuse Zone 6 on Friday. The allegation against him is that he falsely presented himself as a police officer.
The defendant, who was charged with impersonation and making unauthorized use of the police uniform, pleaded not guilty to the allegation.
He was subsequently granted bail by the court in the amount of N2 million with two sureties in the same amount.
The court stated that the sureties must be residents within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, and must also submit their passports to the court’s registry.
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 at all times.
The police, who are prosecuting the matter, were mandated to verify the addresses of the sureties, who were also directed to provide evidence of payment of their utility bills.
The defendant was also directed to depose to an affidavit that he would always make himself available for the trial.
It will be recalled that VeryDarkMan was detained on Thursday after he honored an invitation extended to him by the police.
The defendant was seen in a video that went viral on various social media platforms, wearing a uniform similar to that of the Nigeria Police Force.
He described himself as a CSP of an online division and jokingly urged his fans and followers to always acknowledge him with his new rank instead of referring to him as an activist.
However, following an earlier interaction with the police, who summoned him over the video, the defendant later tendered a public apology for his action.
He explained that he was not aware that it was an offense to wear such a uniform without authorization. He also cautioned other content creators to always obtain necessary clearance from law enforcement agencies before using their uniforms for content purposes.
Meanwhile, not satisfied with the apology, the FCT Police Command vowed to prosecute him to underscore the commitment of the NPF to uphold the integrity of its symbols and prevent their misuse.
