VDM Threatens To Suit If EFCC Releases His Mugshot Over Alleged Money Laundering

SOCIAL media activist, Martin Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) has threatened to sue the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if it published his mugshot alongside an alleged ‘money laundering’ charge.
In his first public commence since hie release from EFCC custody after six days detention over alleged financial crimes, VDM, on Friday, May 9, posted a video on his Instagram page alleging his mobile phone was still with the anti-graft agency logged him out of his iCloud account.
On the allegations of money laundering, VDM wondered how someone as poor as himself could be involved in such an offence, noting: “EFCC, now that we’re trying to become friends, let me be honest: What could ruin this new friendship is what I’m about to say.
“If you releases the picture you took of me (the mugshot) and I see ‘money laundering’ written on it, that’s where the problem will start. If we’re going to be friends, where I can help report scammers and other issues, and you arrest and prosecute them, then let’s keep it that way.
“But if you release my mugshot with ‘money laundering’ on it, you’ll have to prove that charge to Nigerians.
“That might be the first open case we’ll do with every detail posted online. We’ll go to court repeatedly. The EFCC is powerful because it’s the government, but I’ll stress that it damages its reputation and integrity. It will show that many things they post online about people are untrue.
“They will prove the money laundering, otherwise, it will cast doubt on all the people they’ve arrested and prosecuted for similar charges.
“If this friendship is genuine, that label, money laundering, has to go. I saw it in detention and told you I would discuss it.”
He said EFCC could release his mugshot alongside any charges, adding: “If the charge is tax evasion, I won’t argue. But if it’s money laundering, if they don’t prove it, then as far as I’m concerned, every charge they post against anyone is questionable. I’ll consider it false, just like what they’ve done to me.
“Now that the EFCC has logged me out of my iCloud, they control everything on that phone, which contains a lot of evidence. That phone is gone, and I suspect they don’t want me to publish anything from it.”
In addition, VDM vowed to reveal what transpired at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) in Abuja on the day he was arrested.
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, and some of his supporters had alleged that he was arrested at GTBank, an allegation the bank has dismissed in a video showing the moment when VDM left the premises.
The social critic had earlier that Friday, May 2, posted on his Instagram page that he was at the bank with his mother to complain about continuous deductions from her account.
However, VDM promised to reveal what actually transpired at the bank, saying: “As for GTBank, I’m coming for you too. I will expose to the world what you people did. It’s wild.
“I saw the videos you posted online and thought, ‘what the hell are they doing? Did they think I would die in EFCC custody?’
“The only thing that can save GTBank now is if the EFCC deleted the video. If the videos are still on my phone, GTBank is in trouble. And if the EFCC deleted the video, that’s another problem for the EFCC.”