Court Grants Erisco Foods Reviewer, Chioma Okoli N5m BailAlex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, granted bail to a Facebook user, Chioma Okoli, in the sum of N5 million.
Okoli is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and cyber-stalking, in connection to her review of a tomato paste produce, belonging to Erisco Foods Limited.

Justice Lifu had on Wednesday adjourned till Friday for hearing in the bail application, shortly after she was arraigned by the Office of the Inspector General (IG) of Police on a two-count charge of conspiracy and cyber-stalking.

Okoli had pleaded not guilty to the charge and his lawyer informed the court of the defendant’s bail application, but the court however ordered her remand at the Suleja Correctional Centre and adjourned till Friday, to decide whether to release Okoli on bail.

Delivering ruling yesterday, Justice Lifu, who observed that the alleged offence is bail-able and that the court was inclined to grant the application, admitted the applicant to bail in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum.

 The judge, while stating that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty pursuant to Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), added that denying her bail is a wrong application of discretion which will amount to a pre-trial judgement and judicial rascality.

He equally based the ruling on the health status of Okoli.

As part of the conditions attached to the bail, the judge held that one of the sureties must be the defendant’s spouse or blood relative with a verifiable source of income and also residing within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge, who ordered the sureties to deposit a passport photograph each, directed the defendant to also deposit her international passport if any.

He adjourned the matter until June 13 for further hearing.

The police had after its investigation of a petition from Erisco Foods Limited, alleging damaging review of its Nagiko Tomatoes brand filed the two count charge against the Facebook user.

She was said to have committed the alleged offences sometime in September 2023.

“That you Chioma Edoka Okoli also known as Chioma Egodi Jnr, Happiness Obas now at large And Don Kashking now at large ‘m’ on or about sometime in the month of September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Court, conspired among yourself and intentionally sent a message by means of computer and social media network such as Facebook, by using your Facebook handle by name Chioma Egodi Jnr, with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods Limited, knowing the said information to be false and with intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety to Erisco Foods Limited, the management, and members of the family, thereby committed an offense contrary and punishable under Section 27 (1) (B) Cyber Crime Prohibition Act,” one of the counts read.