By Ghazali Ibrahim
Popular Nigerian dancer and hypeman, Iweh Pascal Odinaka, better known as Poco Lee, is facing a serious legal battle in the United Kingdom after a London court confirmed that he is due to appear before it on September 15, 2026.
The development marks a major turn in a controversy that began with reports of his alleged arrest in the UK and quickly spread across social media.
Snaresbrook Crown Court confirmed that Poco Lee’s case is officially listed for plea and trial preparation on September 15.
According to a response received by BlackBox Nigeria on the case, the court disclosed that the charges before it include attempted rape, two counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration.
The court, however, stressed that Poco Lee remains innocent of the allegations unless and until he is tried and found guilty.
The confirmation has given the controversy a legal dimension beyond the unverified claims that initially circulated online.
Reports about the case had generated intense reactions among fans, entertainers and Nigerians in the UK, with some demanding answers while others urged the public not to rush to judgment.
Management rejects drink-spiking reports
Amid the growing controversy, Poco Lee’s management and legal team have moved to clarify what they say are misleading claims surrounding the case.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the team said reports linking the dancer to alleged drink spiking were not part of the allegations or charges before the UK court.
The management urged the media and members of the public to exercise restraint, warning against treating allegations as established facts.
The team said the case should be allowed to follow due process rather than being determined by public opinion.
The clarification is significant because drink-spiking claims had become part of the wider online narrative surrounding the reported arrest.
According to the management, however, such claims do not form part of the charges before the court.
Separate allegation emerges from Dallas
The UK case has also coincided with a separate allegation from Nigerian-American rapper Ms Jorji.
In August, Jorji alleged that Poco Lee attempted to sexually assault her and a friend during an encounter at his apartment in Dallas, Texas, in 2024.
According to her account, she and her friend had gone to meet the entertainer after he invited them over.
She said she was seeking advice about her music career when the encounter allegedly took an uncomfortable turn.
Jorji alleged that Poco Lee made unwanted advances towards her before turning his attention to her friend. She claimed that both women resisted and eventually left the apartment.
That allegation is separate from the UK court proceedings, and it has not been established as fact by a court.
From social media storm to courtroom
The developments have placed Poco Lee, one of Nigeria’s most recognisable dancers and hypemen, at the centre of an unusually intense public controversy.
His associates have publicly expressed support for him, while his management has called for restraint as the legal process continues.
TG Omori, one of his associates, described Poco Lee as one of the “purest souls” he had known while reacting to reports about his situation.
But with the September 15 hearing now officially confirmed, the next significant development is likely to come from the courtroom rather than social media.
For now, the facts that can be established are that a case involving Poco Lee is listed at Snaresbrook Crown Court, a hearing for plea and trial preparation is scheduled for September 15, and his management has disputed some of the claims circulating online.
Everything else remains subject to the judicial process.
Poco Lee has not been convicted of any offence.
