Nigerian dancer and entertainer Poco Lee is listed to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London on 15 September 2026 for a plea and trial preparation hearing, according to confirmation obtained from the court. The development comes on the same day the entertainer secured a 2026 Headies Awards nomination, placing him simultaneously at the centre of a UK criminal case and one of Nigeria’s biggest music awards.
Poco Lee, whose full name is Iweh Pascal Odinaka, had been the subject of widespread reports in Nigeria claiming that he was arrested in Britain over an alleged sexual offence.
The position has become clearer after PUNCH contacted Snaresbrook Crown Court directly.
James Baker, the court’s Admin Team Lead, confirmed that the case is officially listed for plea and trial preparation on 15 September.
Baker said: “I can confirm that this case is currently listed at Snaresbrook Crown Court for plea and trial preparation on the 15th September 2026.”
He added that the exact courtroom and time would not be available until the day before the hearing. Criminal court hearings are generally open to the public, subject to any reporting restrictions imposed in a particular case.
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September hearing confirmed, but exact charge needs care
PUNCH reported that Poco Lee is due before the court over assault allegations and said its inquiry to Snaresbrook Crown Court concerned an alleged sexual assault.
However, the court official’s published response confirming the September hearing does not itself spell out the precise charge.
That distinction is important.
New Daily Prime is therefore treating the existence of the court proceedings and the 15 September plea and trial preparation hearing as confirmed, while avoiding presenting any specific sexual offence as established unless it appears in reportable court documents or is confirmed directly by prosecutors or the court.
A plea and trial preparation hearing, often referred to in England and Wales as a PTPH, is not necessarily the start of the trial itself.
It is a Crown Court hearing at which a defendant may be asked to enter a plea. If the defendant pleads not guilty, the court can make preparations for a future trial, including dealing with evidence, witnesses and scheduling.
Being listed for such a hearing does not establish guilt. Poco Lee remains entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until a court finds otherwise.
New Daily Prime previously traced Iweh Odinaka court record
The court’s latest confirmation follows an earlier investigation by New Daily Prime, which identified a criminal court record under the name Iweh Odinaka before direct confirmation of the September hearing emerged.
New Daily Prime found that case 01HT1389526 had been listed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 21 August, before Her Honour Judge Canavan.
The earlier court record showed an application for bail, while another UK court-listing service carried the same case number and defendant name. The record did not publicly identify the alleged offence.
At the time, New Daily Prime noted that Poco Lee is professionally known by a stage name and is widely identified as Iweh Pascal Odinaka, while the British court listing used the shorter name Iweh Odinaka.
The publication also checked publicly available Crown Prosecution Service information and monitored UK police newsrooms in an attempt to establish the exact offence attached to the proceedings.
The latest confirmation from Snaresbrook Crown Court strengthens the connection between the earlier court record and the Nigerian entertainer.
Reports say Poco Lee is on remand
Benjamin Kuti, also known as the Oluomo of Derby and described as the founder of a Nigerian community organisation in Britain, earlier told PUNCH that Poco Lee was being held on remand in a UK prison.
Kuti said the entertainer was awaiting his next Crown Court appearance and expected to have a plea hearing in September.
The court has now independently confirmed the 15 September hearing date, although Baker’s published response did not address Poco Lee’s current custody status.
Being on remand means a defendant is held in custody while criminal proceedings continue, usually until another hearing or until a court grants bail.
Remand is not a conviction and should not be interpreted as proof that an allegation is true.
Headies nomination emerges on same day
Away from the court proceedings, Poco Lee also received major recognition from Nigeria’s entertainment industry on Tuesday.
He was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2026 Headies Awards for “Hey Jago”, his collaboration with Shoday and Rahman Jago.
The song will compete against several prominent releases, including Kunmie’s “Arike”, Ayra Starr’s “Hot Body”, Fido’s “Joy Is Coming”, Asake and Wizkid’s “MMS”, and Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You”.
The Headies is one of Nigeria’s best-known music awards and has expanded beyond the country in recent years. Organisers say the 2026 ceremony will take place in Canada.
The nomination means Poco Lee remains in contention for one of the industry’s major honours even as questions surrounding his UK court case continue.
The award nomination and court proceedings are entirely separate matters.
What happens next in London
Attention will now turn to Snaresbrook Crown Court on 15 September.
The court has said precise hearing times and courtroom details will become available only the day before the appearance.
The hearing could provide the clearest public information yet about the exact allegation before the court, the defendant’s plea and how the case will proceed.
Until then, care is required when describing the allegations.
Reports that appeared before the court confirmation used terms ranging from assault to sexual assault and rape. The published court response confirms the criminal proceedings and hearing date but does not itself provide the wording of the charge.
What readers should know: Snaresbrook Crown Court has now confirmed that Iweh Pascal Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, is listed for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 15 September 2026. New Daily Prime had previously traced a related court record under the shorter name Iweh Odinaka involving a bail application. On the same day as the latest court confirmation, Poco Lee was nominated for the Headies Song of the Year award for “Hey Jago”. The exact criminal charge should still be reported cautiously until it is established through court information that can legally be published, and no allegation amounts to guilt unless proved in court.
