A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted Chioma Okoli bail in the amount of N5 million, following her arraignment on charges of conspiracy and cyberstalking.
On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Okoli appeared before Hon. Justice Peter Lifu and was subsequently remanded at Suleja Correctional Center. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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Her lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, filed a bail application which was reviewed on Friday.
Justice Lifu granted the bail, stipulating that Okoli must provide two sureties.
One of the sureties must be a spouse or a blood relative residing in Abuja with verifiable means of livelihood.
Additionally, Okoli must surrender her passport to the court, if she possesses one.
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Justice Lifu cited Section 365 (5) of the 1999 Constitution, emphasizing the presumption of innocence.
He stated that denying bail would constitute a misuse of judicial discretion and amount to pre-trial punishment.
The trial is scheduled to continue on June 13, 2024.
The charges stem from an incident in 2023 when Eric Omeofia, CEO of Erisco Foods Limited, claimed that a negative review by Okoli on the Nagiko Tomato Mix, alleging it contained too much sugar, harmed his business.
Following her review, Okoli was arrested in September 2023.
Her lawyer argued that her fundamental rights were being violated by the police and Omeofia.
The charges against Okoli include allegations that she, along with others currently at large, used social media to spread false information intended to harm Erisco Foods Limited, causing annoyance, inconvenience, and other negative impacts.
The charges are based on provisions in the Cyber Crime Prohibition Act.
The court document states:
“That you Chioma Edoka Okoli also known as Chioma Egodi Jnr, Happiness Obas now at large, and Don Kashking now at large, on or about September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to intentionally send a message via computer and social media, using your Facebook handle Chioma Egodi Jnr, with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods Limited, knowing the information to be false and intending to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety to Erisco Foods Limited, thereby committing an offense under Section 27 (1) (B) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Act.
“That you Chioma Edoka Okoli also known as Chioma Egodi Jnr, Happiness Obas now at large, and Don Kashking now at large, on or about September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally sent a message via computer and social media, using your Facebook handle Chioma Egodi Jnr, with the intention of instigating against Erisco Foods Limited, knowing the information to be false and intending to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety to Erisco Foods Limited, thereby committing an offense under Section 24 (1) (B) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Act.”
