Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, appeared in Court 1 of the Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Federal Capital Territory, on Friday, facing charges of impersonating a police officer.
The social media influencer was granted bail under strict conditions by the court, with the bail set at N2 million in the case referenced as CR/510/2024: Commissioner of Police v. Vincent Martins Otse aka VeryDarkMan.
As part of the bail conditions, VeryDarkMan must provide two sureties who reside within the court’s jurisdiction, particularly in Abuja. The sureties are required to deposit their passports with the court and must also provide proof of identification, along with an affidavit affirming their commitment to ensure the defendant’s presence during the trial.
Additionally, the court mandated the prosecution to verify the sureties’ addresses and to provide their utility bills as proof of residence. VeryDarkMan must also file an affidavit confirming his availability for the trial at all times.
Earlier on Friday, the Nigeria Police Force confirmed that VeryDarkMan was appearing in court due to allegations related to the unauthorized use of police uniforms in a viral video. The FCT Police Command is overseeing the case to uphold the integrity of police symbols and prevent their misuse.
VeryDarkMan was detained by police on Thursday after responding to an invitation. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, mentioned in a post on X that his client had complied with a previous police request as well. Adeyanju remarked, “Our client, VDM, has been detained after honouring a police invitation just like yesterday. VDM has consistently stated that the Nigerian Police are our friends, even when we all know they are not.”
In a recent public apology video, VeryDarkMan expressed regret for using the police uniform without permission and urged fellow content creators to seek proper clearance from law enforcement before using similar attire for their projects.