Management and the legal team of Nigerian dancer and singer Poco Lee, whose real name is Iweh Pascal Odinaka, have broken their silence over reports that he was arrested in the United Kingdom over a sexual assault allegation.
In a public notice dated August 25, the team confirmed that the matter is now before UK courts and urged the public and media to exercise restraint while the legal process continues.
The statement acknowledged the ongoing public discussion surrounding the allegations and stressed that the claims against Poco Lee should not be treated as proof of guilt.
“Allegations are not evidence of guilt, and no conclusions should be drawn until the matter has been heard and determined through the appropriate legal process,” the team said.
The management also addressed claims circulating online, particularly references to “drink spiking,” clarifying that such allegations do not form part of the charges before the court.
“We ask the public and media to desist from introducing details that are not part of the actual case, as doing so only fuels misinformation and causes unfair prejudice to all parties involved.”
Reports of Poco Lee’s arrest first emerged on August 19, with several outlets reporting that he had been detained in the UK in connection with a sexual assault allegation.
At the time, details about the alleged victim and circumstances surrounding the case remained unclear, while no UK police force or court had publicly confirmed the arrest.
The controversy was further fuelled by a separate allegation from Texas-based Nigerian rapper Ms Jorji, who claimed in videos shared online that Poco Lee attempted to sexually assault her and her girlfriend about two years ago during a visit to his home in Dallas.
Jorji said she decided to speak publicly because she believed her experience was connected to the allegations surrounding the UK case.
However, her claims have not been independently verified by a court or law enforcement agency, and no connection has been established between her allegations and the UK proceedings.
Meanwhile, Poco Lee’s associate, Tunde Perry, publicly defended the entertainer in a video shared online, saying the allegations did not reflect the character of the man he knows.
On August 24, a source identified as Oluomo of Derby also claimed via social media that Poco Lee was being held on remand in a UK prison and that a plea hearing had been scheduled for the second week of September.
The hearing is expected to provide an opportunity for him to indicate whether he will plead guilty or not guilty to the allegations before the court.
Poco Lee rose to prominence in 2018 after featuring in Zlatan Ibile’s “Zanku (Legwork)” music video. He has since built a career as a dancer, hype man and MC, working with several leading Nigerian artistes, including Davido, Burna Boy, Olamide and Naira Marley.
His management said further information would be communicated through official channels as the case progresses and thanked the public for its patience and restraint.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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