British prosecutors have moved to dispel a wave of online speculation surrounding the criminal case against Nigerian dancer and entertainer Iweh Odinaka, better known by his stage name, Poco Lee, confirming that the matter remains firmly before the courts and that he is due back in the dock this coming Tuesday.
The Crown Prosecution Service said Odinaka is still expected to appear before Snaresbrook Crown Court on September 15, 2026, describing the case as “still live.”
The confirmation, issued in response to a query from Punch Newspaper on Saturday, was intended to put to rest a string of unverified claims that had begun circulating on social media in recent days, namely, that the entertainer had walked free from custody and that the woman at the center of the case had either withdrawn her complaint or reached some form of private settlement.
Tuesday’s proceeding is a Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing, commonly abbreviated as a PTPH, a hearing in which Poco Lee is expected to formally enter a plea, marking what would be the next significant milestone in a case that has gripped Nigeria’s entertainment industry and its diaspora community in Britain alike.
Poco Lee stands accused of five separate sexual offences: one count of attempted rape, two counts of rape, and two counts of assault by penetration. The court’s Admin Team Leader, James Baker, confirmed the charges directly, stating plainly that the defendant has been charged with attempted rape, two counts of rape, and two counts of assault by penetration.
The court has also imposed a reporting restriction shielding the complainant’s identity, invoking protections under Section 1 of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, a standard safeguard in UK sexual offence proceedings that bars the media from publishing any details that could identify the alleged victim.
News of Poco Lee’s arrest first broke in mid-to-late August, days after his performance at the Davido and Friends concert held at the Crystal Palace Bowl in London on August 14, 2026.
Reports of his detention began circulating online around 18 and 19 August, initially with scant detail about the nature of the allegations against him.
Since then, Benjamin Kuti, a community figure known as the Oluomo of Derby, who says he regularly attends UK court proceedings to support Nigerians facing legal difficulties abroad, has emerged as a recurring source of updates on the case, having said he could personally confirm that Poco Lee was being held on remand in a UK prison.
It remains unclear, however, whether that custodial status has changed. The CPS’s latest statement did not clarify whether Odinaka had since been released from custody or remained on remand, even as it moved to shut down suggestions that the case itself had collapsed.
Court officials have stressed that Tuesday’s hearing is procedural in nature. It represents the next stage of the criminal proceedings rather than the trial itself. Baker noted that while criminal hearings of this kind are open to the public, precise timing and courtroom information would not be released until the day before the hearing.
Reaction within Nigeria’s entertainment circles has been mixed, with some public figures voicing support for the dancer. Socialite Rahman Jago was among those who spoke out, describing the situation as painful and suggesting there may be more to the story than has so far come to light.
As is standard practice, it bears repeating: Poco Lee has not been convicted of any offence, and the allegations against him remain just that allegations until such a time as a court determines otherwise.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Poco Lee’s UK sexual offence case is still very much active despite online rumours of his release or the complainant withdrawing, and he is due before Snaresbrook Crown Court this Tuesday, September 15, for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
He faces five charges: attempted rape, two counts of rape, and two counts of assault by penetration. Crucially, he has not been convicted of anything, and the allegations remain unproven until determined by the court.
