The Inspector-General of Police has re-arraigned social media influencer, Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), before Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of cyberbullying actresses Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh, and music producer Samuel ‘Samklef’ Oguachuba.
Otse was re-arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on cyberstalking and the alleged dissemination of offensive content through his social media platforms. He, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His counsel, Deji Adeyanju, prayed the court to allow the defendant to continue on the earlier bail granted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of a sister court.
The prosecution counsel representing the Inspector-General of Police, Victor Okoye, did not oppose the application.
Justice Liman subsequently admitted the defendant to the previous bail terms and adjourned the matter until 24 July 2025 for the commencement of the trial.
VDM was initially arraigned on 22 May 2024 before Justice Olajuwon on the same offences, which are contrary to and punishable under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
Following his remand, he was granted bail on 10 June 2024 to the sum of ₦10 million, with two sureties — either employees of reputable organisations or federal civil servants of not less than Level 17, with evidence of three years’ tax clearance.
However, the case was reassigned to Justice Liman following the transfer of Justice Olajuwon to another division of the Federal High Court.
Count-by-Count Allegations
According to the charge sheet, in Count One, Otse was alleged to have, on or about 13 October 2023, posted a video on his Instagram account (@verydarkblackman) containing threatening and bullying statements directed at Samklef.
In Count Two, he was accused of intentionally posting, on or about 29 October 2023, videos containing offensive, pornographic, indecent, obscene, or menacing content targeting actress Iyabo Ojo.
In the said video, he allegedly claimed that “one Iyabo Ojo is having an indecent sexual relationship with her daughter.”
Count Three alleges that, on or about 19 January 2024, VDM falsely published via Instagram that actress Tonto Dikeh had diverted proceeds from a crowdfunding campaign for the “Justice for Mohbad” movement and that she was the person behind the anonymous blog ‘Gistlover.’
In Count Four, Otse was alleged to have, on or about 19 March 2024, intentionally posted content considered annoying and insulting towards Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and members of the National Assembly.
Liverpool are ready to trigger the release clause of Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong as they close in on their first summer signing.
The 24-year-old, who can play across the right-hand side, is wanted by fellow Dutchman Arne Slot for next season’s campaign and talks towards a deal have progressed in recent days.
Frimpong’s release clause is understood to be in the region of 35m euros (£29.5m), with Liverpool expected to meet that figure.
If the Premier League champions can complete a swoop for the Netherlands international, it could help soften the blow of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is set to join Real Madrid after confirming his decision to leave Anfield when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Frimpong, who came through the youth ranks at Manchester City and played for Celtic, could replace the 26-year-old Alexander-Arnold at right-back.
The Vicar of Dibley brought an unlikely group of parishioners together on screen, but while some of the cast have sparkling careers, they’ve been shaken by six heartbreaking deaths
The Vicar of Dibley has been rocked by multiple tragedies in recent years(Image: BBC)
The Vicar of Dibley must be one of the nation’s favourite shows over the past few decades. Originally running from 1994 to 2000, the BBC show was beloved by families all over, with plenty of slapstick moments for the kids and raunchy jokes for the adults.
While it made a huge impact and bagged plenty of awards, it surprisingly only had 20 episodes in its main run, before returning for lots of special episodes due to fan demand. Unlike many sitcoms of the time which focused on younger groups and urban life, The Vicar of Dibley offered a slice of village life, following Dawn French as Reverend Geraldine as she arrived to shake up a village dominated by characterful old men.
It was also created by Richard Curtis, who’s better known for his huge films such as Love Actually and Notting Hill rather than his small screen works. The Vicar of Dibley was last on screen for a lockdown special, and sadly, if it returned again it wouldn’t feature much of the original cast; most of them have died since the original series ended. Aside from tragic deaths, however, a lot of the main parish team have enjoyed incredible successes in their careers, and it’s guaranteed that none of them will be forgotten.
Dawn French – Reverend Geraldine Granger
Dawn French is The Vicar of Dibley(Image: BBC / Comic Relief / Children In Need)
Reverend Geraldine Granger is the down-to-earth vicar who ruffled a few feathers when she arrived in the village. Despite some initial hesitations, Geraldine quickly became a popular member of the community, although her outrageous behaviour and the odd bit of rude language did turn heads.
The star of the show, Dawn French is best known for writing and starring in French and Saunders with best friend Jennifer Saunders. Dawn has done it all, appearing in the theatre, TV series and big budget films, as well as presenting shows such as ITV’s Little Big Shots. She also appeared in Little Britain, Lark Rise to Candleford and in Sky One’s Delicious.
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Not limited to the small screen, Dawn played the Fat Lady portrait in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, starred in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, and also did voice work on The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Coraline.
She was married to comedian Lenny Henry when The Vicar of Dibley first aired, but they separated after 25 years of marriage in April 2010. Dawn then married charity executive Mark Bignell in 2013 after two years together. In recent years, Dawn has also been very open about her weight loss journey over the years after making the decision to overhaul her lifestyle in 2011. A cancer scare prompted the star to lose 7.5 stone for surgery, and she has since said it was a completely ‘practical’ choice and not one based on her appearance.
Emma Chambers – Alice Horton
Alice played by Emma Chambers and Dawn French in the Vicar of Dibley(Image: BBC)
Alice was the ditzy yet adorable church verger, who Geraldine once claimed had the “intellectual capacity and charisma of a cactus”. Despite a backlash, Alice married her second cousin once removed Hugo Horton and went on to have 10 children.
Actress Emma Chambers had us in fits of giggles throughout all 20 episodes of the show, and even won the British Comedy Award for Best Actress in 1998. Emma also appeared as Hugh Grant’s on-screen sister in Notting Hill before going into voice work.
Tragically, Emma died at home from a suspected heart attack in February 2018 at the age of just 53. Emma and Dawn were very close, with Dawn sharing at the time: “Emma was a very bright spark and the most loyal and loving friend anyone could wish for. I will miss her very much. Far too young and I think we’re all still reeling a little bit from it. My memories of working with Emma are some of my most favourite memories of my whole career.
“She’s a massively diligent person, much unlike Alice. She was incredibly bright. Very funny, very knowing and yet she was able to play someone who was in a different world. She didn’t play a simpleton, she played someone who had a different reality. She was incredibly authentic at that and I will miss that.”
Gary Waldhorn – David Horton
Gary Waldhorn played David Horton in The Vicar of Dibley(Image: BBC)
David Horton was the bullish chairman of the Parish council and District Councillor – and Hugo’s cold father. He frequently clashed with Geraldine due to his old-fashioned nature, but the pair came to respect each other as the series went on.
Actor Gary Waldhorn appeared in every episode of the show, including all of the specials. Away from the parish, Gary has appeared in many classic British TV shows such as The Sweeney, Heartbeat and The Bill, as well as Hotel Babylon in 2008. He has also turned to adverts, with his voice being heard on commercials for Green Flag, Kwik Fit and Marmite.
Sadly, Gary died in January 2022, aged 78. In a statement, his grieving son Josh shared: “Classically trained, it was the theatre where he truly flourished and he leaves a legacy of entertainment that saw him frequent the boards of Broadway, the West End and our living rooms on the telly! He leaves behind his two grandsons, Cooper and Bayley and his son Josh. We will all miss him terribly.”
Roger Lloyd-Pack – Owen Newitt
The Vicar of Dibley starred Roger Lloyd-Pack
Farmer and parish council member Owen had awful hygiene and was labelled ‘Britain’s B.O. King’. He was the first person to support Geraldine’s appointment as vicar, but was famously always late for council meetings. Owen was one of many people to propose to the vicar, but she did join him for Christmas dinner in 1996, meaning he finally didn’t spend it alone.
The man behind the character, Roger Lloyd-Pack, is best known for playing Trigger in Only Fools and Horses. He also became known to a new generation of fans through his Doctor Who appearances and for his role of Barty Crouch Sr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Roger also had roles in The Catherine Tate Show, The Bill and Doc Martin – with his final role in an episode of Law & Order: UK in 2014.
The popular actor tragically died from pancreatic cancer in January 2014 at the age of 69, with Only Fools co-stars David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst attending his funeral. Dawn hosted a special 10-minute tribute to her co-star on the BBC, telling viewers he was “a really lovely, interesting, complicated man”, before adding that there could be no better tribute than the repeat of the first ever episode of Only Fools and Horses.
Trevor Peacock – Jim Trott
Trevor Peacock (left) during the Comic Relief special in 2015(Image: Comic Relief/Gary Moyes)
Known for his catchphrase of “no-no-no-no-no”, council member Jim once lost on Deal or No Deal because of his stuttering. Jim did have a wife but he was always flirting with the vicar, then proposed to her in the final episode.
Actor Trevor Peacock, who appeared in all 20 episodes, has also appeared in My Family, Hotel Babylon and Jonathan Creek. He also played Alfie Moon’s war veteran pal Sid in an episode of EastEnders. Trevor has two famous acting sons; Daniel Peacock who played ‘Mental Mickey’ in Only Fools and Horses, and Harry who was in Toast of London.
Sadly, Trevor was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, but he stayed strong and appeared in the 2015 Vicar of Dibley Comic Relief Special. By 2017 the illness was advanced, so he retired from acting and was living in a nursing home in Yeovil. He later died on 8 March 2021, aged 89.
John Bluthal – Frank Pickle
John Bluthal played Frank Pickle(Image: TIGER ASPECT/ BBC)
Boring Frank was the parish council secretary – and was dubbed ‘The Most Boring Man in Britain’ in a newspaper headline. His tales about the milkman being 47 minutes late and the pub running out of crisps sent people to sleep. After keeping his sexuality secret for 40 years, Frank bravely announced he was homosexual on the radio, but only Geraldine was listening.
Actor John Bluthall had an incredible career with an extensive work in the British theatre as well as TV classics such as Last of the Summer Wine and Casualty. He was also a major film star, having appeared in multiple Carry On films and as various characters in the 1967 version of Bond movie Casino Royale. In 2016 he starred in the Coen brothers hit film Hail, Caesar!, and his final role was in the Daniel Radcliffe movie Jungle.
Tragically, John was one of two cast members to die in the same year, and passed away in November 2018 at the age of 89. In an emotional tribute, Dawn penned: “Tons of happy laughs remembered today. Cheeky, naughty, hilarious. Bye darlin’ Bluey.”
James Fleet – Hugo Horton
James Fleet will be taking part in The Vicar Of Dibley in Lockdown(Image: PA)
Hugo Horton was the sweet but dim son of the council leader, who was bullied by his cruel father. He finally stood up to his dad by marrying Alice against his father’s wishes after Geraldine played Cupid for the couple.
Aside from The Vicar of Dibley, James is well-known for playing bumbling Tom in Four Weddings and a Funeral. A star of stage, radio and TV, James has also appeared in Grange Hill, The Bill and starred in the Kevin & Perry Go Large move in 2000 and 2018 film The Spy Who Loved Me.
He also appeared in the BBC Three comedy Bad Education, and his Coronation Street character Robbie Sloane was shot dead after kidnapping Carla Connor in 2010. James reprised his role as Hugo for the Christmas special The Vicar Of Dibley in Lockdown and his still bagging big roles, recently starring in Netflix’s Bridgerton prequel, Queen Charlotte, as King George III in his elder years.
Liz Smith – Letitia Cropley
Liz Smith (far right) played Nana on The Royle Family(Image: BBC)
Dibley church organist and Parish council member Letitia Cropley was a popular character during the first series of the show. Known for her strange recipes, including a Marmite cake and Branston Pickle icing, she was dubbed ‘The Queen of Cordon Bleurgh’ and ‘The Dibley Poisoner’. The character died in the 1996 Easter special, in which forgetful Letitia asked almost everyone to take over her role as the Easter bunny as her dying request.
The wonderful Liz Smith was part of two iconic British comedy series – The Vicar of Dibley and The Royle Family. She became a household name playing Letitia until the character was killed off, then had us in stitches again in the role of Nana in The Royle Family. In a similar ending to her time on The Vicar of Dibley, Liz’s character died during a special episode in 2006.
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Liz also starred in the first series of Lark Rise to Candleford and was made an MBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours. Heartbreakingly, the veteran TV star died on Christmas Eve 2016 at the age of 95, just days after a repeat of her emotional final The Royle Family episode had aired.
Heart Radio presenter Amanda Holden previously sang the praises of Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream, and it’s currently on sale at Amazon
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Amanda Holden swears by the much-loved skincare product(Image: Getty)
Amanda Holden always looks absolutely flawless. Whether she’s working in the Heart Radio offices or appearing on the red carpet, her complexion is constantly glowing – and it turns out, one of her go-to skincare buys is really affordable.
The 54-year-old Britain’s Got Talent star once told Prima that she can’t stop buying the Eight Hour Cream from premium beauty brand, Elizabeth Arden. Speaking of the item, Amanda said: “This is the one beauty product I’ve bought on repeat throughout my life.
“I think it’s great as a lip gloss because it doesn’t just sit on top of your lips like many others do, or as a moisturiser”. And right now, skincare buffs can get 49% off the versatile wonder cream on Amazon – bringing its original price down from £31 to £15.95.
READ MORE: Dermatologist approved skincare brand from Yorkshire that ‘clears skin in a week’
READ MORE: Amanda Holden shows off legs in summer mini skirt that’s 40% off
The Amazon offer on Amanda’s beloved Eight Hour Cream is the best we’ve seen, with LookFantastic and Elizabeth Arden selling the same 30ml product for £31. Meanwhile, Boots’ deal saves shoppers 25% on the moisturiser, meaning they can get it for £23.25.
Another beauty staple the Heart Radio presenter reportedly uses is the Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Serum, which comes in at £290 on its own or £12.50 in this Starter Set, priced at £50. The bundle features the Amanda-approved serum, as well as an eye cream, face cream and neck cream.
Eight Hour Cream
£31.00
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Introduced in 1930, Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream was originally created as a skin protectant. The versatile, soothing balm is known for offering intense moisture to the hands, feet and everything in-between. It has been reformulated throughout the years, but the ingredients for the latest version include petrolatum, vitamin E, salicylic acid, lanolin, and castor seed oil.
Amanda isn’t alone in loving the nourishing formula, Amazon customers have been raving about it in reviews. One impressed fan said: “This stuff is worth its wait in gold. Expensive, yes, but a little bit goes a long way, and it lasts forever. Can be used for everything, grazes, lip balm, sunburn, hard skin, wind burn – seriously fantastic and only use sparingly.”
Another added: “It leaves my skin rejuvenated and deeply moisturised as claimed. My skin looks and feels years younger, especially when used in combination with other retinol products. People have even asked if I’ve had work done on my face, or what my secret is.”
The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is extremely popular(Image: Amazon/Elizabeth Arden)
A third shopper, who called the product a ‘miracle cream’, gave it a five-star rating. They said: “This cream works wonders. You need this in your beauty arsenal at all times.”
Not all reviewers were impressed, with some complaining about the formula’s scent. One person penned in a three-star comment: “The smell is very specific, perhaps the cream has excellent action, but because of the smell I can’t use it.”
Brussels is drawing up plans to use trade tariffs and capital controls to maintain financial pressure on Russia, even if Hungary decides to use its veto to block an extension of the European Union’s sanctions regime, which lapses in July of this year.
The European Commission has told ministers that a large part of the EU’s sanctions, which included freezing 200 billion euros ($224bn) of Russian assets, could be adapted to a new legal framework to bypass Budapest’s veto, according to the United Kingdom’s Financial Times newspaper.
Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, has repeatedly held up EU boycotts on Moscow as the central European country gets 85 percent of its natural gas from Russia. Orban’s nationalist government is also one of the most friendly to Moscow in all of Europe.
In any event, the EU’s recent proposals have emerged as Moscow and Kyiv hold their first direct peace talks since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukrainian and Russian representatives are convening today in Istanbul, Turkiye. However, Vladimir Putin will not travel to Istanbul for face-to-face talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Last weekend, European leaders held talks in Ukraine to put pressure on Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire in the run-up to the Istanbul talks. Ukraine agreed to it. Russia did not.
What sanctions does the EU currently have in place against Russia?
The EU adopted its 17th sanctions package against Moscow, designed to stifle Russia’s economy and force President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, on Wednesday. This package has been signed off by Budapest and will be formally ratified by the European Commission next week.
Brussels has progressively expanded sanctions against Moscow since 2022, introducing import bans on Russian oil, a price cap on Russian fuel and the freezing of Russian central bank assets held in European financial institutions.
Vast swaths of Russia’s economy – from media organisations to aviation and telecommunications – are now under EU restrictions, in addition to trade bans and measures targeting oligarchs and politicians.
Under the 17th package, some 200 “shadow fleet” tankers have been sanctioned. These are ships with opaque ownership and no Western ties in terms of finance or insurance, allowing them to bypass financial sanctions.
The latest sanctions will also target Chinese and Turkish entities that the EU says are helping Russia to evade embargoes. New restrictions will be imposed on 30 companies involved in the trade of dual-use goods – products with potential military applications.
“Russia has found ways to circumvent the blockage imposed by Europe and the United States, so closing the tap would grab Russia by the throat,” France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, told BFM TV.
How effective are sanctions?
Alongside military support for Kyiv, sanctions have been the EU’s main response to Russia’s war on Ukraine. But sanctions have so far failed to stop the war. What’s more, due to high oil prices and elevated military spending, Russia’s economy has outperformed expectations since the start of 2022.
Barrot acknowledged on Wednesday that the impact of sanctions has been insufficient. “We will need to go further because the sanctions so far have not dissuaded Vladimir Putin from continuing his war of aggression … we must prepare to expand devastating sanctions that could suffocate, once and for all, Russia’s economy,” said Barrot.
What new measures are being proposed?
While the 17th round of sanctions was only agreed on Wednesday, EU ministers are already considering what more might be done to undermine Putin’s political clout if the war in Ukraine persists.
Capital controls, which would be aimed at restricting money flowing in and out of Russia, and trade measures such as tariffs, are two options that have been mentioned by the European Commission in recent weeks. Capital controls can take a variety of forms, including restrictions on foreign investment, limiting currency exchange or imposing taxes on the movement of capital.
The commission also aims to share proposals next month that would allow Brussels to implement a ban on new Russian gas spot market contracts – deals for immediate delivery and payment – with European companies in 2025, and a total phase-out by 2027.
Despite oil export restrictions, Russia still earns billions of euros from natural gas sales into the EU through liquefied natural gas (LNG) and TurkStream (a pipeline connecting Russia to southeastern Europe via the Black Sea). Banning spot market contracts would lower Moscow’s revenue from these sources.
Brussels may also propose tariffs on enriched uranium as part of its effort to cut EU reliance on Russian fuels.
According to The Financial Times, the EU insists that these measures would not amount to sanctions and therefore would not need the unanimous backing of all 27 EU countries, which is normally required to extend sanctions.
“I think the EU cooked up these potential punishments to try and get Russia to agree to the 30-day ceasefire … it was the stick they were brandishing,” said an analyst familiar with the matter who asked not to be named.
Will the US impose more sanctions?
It may. On May 1, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said he had the commitment of 72 colleagues for a bill that would enact “bone-crushing” sanctions on Russia.
Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, is spearheading a draft bill that seeks to impose a 500 percent tariff on imports from countries that buy Russian oil and fossil fuels.
Trump himself, who seemingly welcomes the possibility of a rapprochement with Russia, said in March that he was “considering” imposing sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.
Could such measures force Putin to the negotiating table?
“Most Russian people want life to return to normal and business owners are getting tired of war-related costs,” the anonymous analyst told Al Jazeera. “There is a growing sense of unease.”
She said she doubted whether the EU’s touted measures would bring Putin any closer to signing a peace agreement, however. “Only because sanctions haven’t been able to do that,” she said, “and there’s already a maze of them.”
According to Castellum.AI, a global risk platform, Russia has been slapped with 21,692 sanctions since the start of the war – the majority of them against individuals.
“On past performance, it’s hard to see how even more sanctions and additional punishments will stop the fighting,” the analyst said.
Sarah, Duchess of York, has looked after the late Queen’s corgis Sandy and Muick since the her death almost three years ago – and she has now claimed the dogs send her messages from the former monarch
Fergie with the late Queen’s corgis Sandy and Muick (Image: @sarahferguson15/Instagram)
Fergie claims that the late Queen still speaks to her by sending messages through her beloved corgis. The Duchess of York took in the former monarch’s surviving dogs, Sandy and Muick, when Elizabeth II died almost three years ago, joining her five other Norfolk Terriers.
Now, Sarah, along with her ex-husband Prince Andrew, cares for the dogs at their Royal Lodge home in Windsor. And in a new interview, Fergie says she is sure that when the dogs bark, it is actually her late mother-in-law reminding her that she is still there. Speaking at the Creative Women Platform Forum in London, she revealed, smiling: “I have her dogs, I have her corgis.
Fergie has been caring for the corgis with Prince Andrew
“Every morning they come in and go ‘woof woof’ and all that, and I’m sure it’s her talking to me. I’m sure it’s her, reminding me she’s still around. Anyway, the real thing is that I had the greatest honour to be her daughter-in-law. That’s pretty huge.
“And when I was driving here, I saw the Elizabeth Line [on the Tube] and I said ‘I want everyone to remember what an amazing lady she was’.” Sandy and Muick were a gift to the Queen by Sarah and her ex-husband, Prince Andrew and their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Andrew and his family presented the late Queen with two puppies during lockdown to help keep her entertained at Windsor while her husband, the late Prince Philip, was in hospital.
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The dogs earned a special place in the hearts of the nation when they were seen saying a final goodbye to their previous owner at her funeral in Windsor. After her passing, at the age of 96, the pets were given back to Sarah to look after, though she previously admitted it wasn’t an easy task.
She once shared the joys and stresses that come with looking after the dogs, and revealed why she believes they “bark at nothing” as the “Queen is passing by”.
She explained: “They are national icons, so every time they run chasing a squirrel, I panic. But they’re total joys, and I always think that when they bark at nothing, and there’s no squirrels in sight, I believe it’s because the Queen is passing by.”
However, she did also reveal that she consulted a dog whisperer shortly after Elizabeth II died, as she was worried about the dogs’ grief.
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She told ITV’s Loose Women: “I went to a dog whisperer and said, ‘Now tell me about grief’. And he said, ‘Just at night, just make sure they have their own space’. Yeah, so I do. Because I think they were grieving – their little tails went down. And I wanted to make them have waggy tails.”
In her lifetime, it’s thought that the Queen owned 30 corgis, each with their own unique name. Other royal Corgis include Susan, Willow, Holly, Vulcan, Dookie, Monty, Honey, Berry, Emma, and Linnet.
