A London court has officially confirmed that popular Nigerian dancer and socialite Iweh Pascal Odinaka, widely known as Poco Lee, will appear before the court on September 15, 2026, over assault charges.
The Snaresbrook Crown Court made the confirmation in an exclusive correspondence to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
In the response, the court’s Admin Team Lead, James Baker, stated that the case is official and listed for plea and trial preparation on September 15, 2026. However, he declined to provide a precise time and courtroom information, explaining that such details would only be available the day before the hearing .
“OFFICIAL. Good afternoon. I can confirm that this case is currently listed at Snaresbrook Crown Court for plea and trial preparation on the 15th September 2026,” Baker wrote .
“Criminal Court hearings are open to the public. Precise times and courtroom information will not be available until the day before the hearing. Many thanks,” he added .
This confirmation comes after Benjamin Kuti, founder of the community of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, also known as Oluomo of Derby, revealed on Monday that Poco Lee is currently being held on remand in a UK prison . Kuti said he regularly attends court proceedings and supports Nigerians involved in legal matters in the UK .
“I can confirm that the reports are true. Poco Lee is currently on remand in a UK prison. His next court date is scheduled for the second week of September, when he is expected to have a plea hearing,” Kuti said . He explained that a plea hearing would involve the accused entering either a guilty or not-guilty plea .
Kuti added that he planned to attend the proceedings as part of his support for members of the Nigerian community in the UK .
Reports of Poco Lee’s alleged detention in the UK began circulating online on August 19 . However, details surrounding the alleged offence remain unclear, as earlier reports did not identify the alleged complainant or disclose the circumstances of the alleged assault . The court also did not disclose the nature of the assault charges .
Ahead of the hearing, some of Poco Lee’s celebrity friends and associates have reportedly expressed support for the dancer . Influencer Sarah Martins, Big Brother Naija star Beauty Tukura, and others have shared encouraging messages on social media . Fellow dancer AY Dancer also visited Poco Lee at the prison and shared a video of the visit on social media, describing the dancer as “strong” .
