Nigerian dancer and entertainer, Iweh Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, will return to Snaresbrook Crown Court in London on February 8, 2027, after his scheduled plea and trial preparation hearing could not proceed because the charge sheet was unavailable.
The development followed proceedings on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, where Odinaka was expected to enter a plea to five sexual offence charges, comprising one count of attempted rape, two counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration.
According to reports from the proceedings, the absence of the charge sheet meant that the court could not proceed with the plea, leaving Odinaka without entering either a guilty or not-guilty plea.
The next plea and trial preparation hearing has now been fixed for Monday, February 8, 2027, while the substantive trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 8, 2027.
The case concerns alleged sexual offences said to have occurred in Tower Hamlets, east London, on Sunday, July 23, 2026.
The allegations have not been determined by the court, and Odinaka remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Odinaka first appeared before Thames Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, before the matter was transferred to Snaresbrook Crown Court for further proceedings.
The five charges were subsequently confirmed by Snaresbrook Crown Court, with the court identifying them as one count of attempted rape, two counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration.
A reporting restriction is also in place to protect the identity of the complainant, meaning information capable of identifying the complainant cannot responsibly be published.
The latest development comes days after Odinaka was granted bail on Friday, September 11, 2026, ahead of the September 15 hearing.
The court had earlier confirmed the bail decision, while the Crown Prosecution Service had also stated that the case remained active and that Odinaka was expected to appear for the September hearing.
Before the latest hearing, Odinaka publicly maintained his innocence while discussing the allegations in an online video.
He said: “If I did what someone said I did, I would say I am suffering my sins.”
“As I did not do anything, my mind is as pure as anything.”
His position remains a denial of the allegations, while the prosecution case is yet to be tested at trial.
The September 15 proceedings also attracted Nigerians who attended the court in support of the entertainer, with reports stating that the gallery was filled and some people waited outside because of limited space.
With the February 8 hearing now fixed, Odinaka is expected to formally indicate his plea at that stage, after which the case will proceed towards the scheduled March 8 trial.
The February hearing will therefore determine the next procedural stage in the case, while the March trial remains the point at which the allegations are expected to be examined through the UK judicial process.
Kristina Reports will continue to follow developments in the case while respecting the court-imposed restriction protecting the complainant’s identity.
