Chioma Okoli, a tomato paste reviewer, has been granted bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja in the amount of N5 million with two sureties.
On May 28, 2024, Okoli was arraigned before Hon. Justice Peter Lifu. He has entered a not guilty plea to the accusations of cyberstalking and conspiracy.
Inibehe Effiong, Okoli’s attorney, filed the bail application. Judge Lifu’s decision on the application stipulates that one of the sureties must be her spouse or a blood relative who lives in Abuja and has a confirmed source of income.
If Okoli has a passport, she also needs to leave it with the court. The judge stressed that refusing her bail would go against Section 365(5) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution’s presumption of innocence, characterising such a decision as a wrongful application of discretion and tantamount to pre-trial judgment.
After her arraignment, Okoli was first placed on remand at Suleja Correctional Centre. Her arrest occurred in September 2023 as a result of a critical Facebook review she wrote on Erisco Foods Limited’s Nagiko Tomato Mix, alleging it included an excessive amount of sugar.
Eric Omeofia, the CEO of Erisco Foods Limited, claimed that her review had a negative effect on his company.
The trial in this case has been postponed until June 13, 2024.
In September 2023, Okoli was taken into custody by the police while her attorney, Inibehe Effiong, was alerted to the fact that Omeofia and the police were violating his client’s fundamental rights.
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The first count read, “That you Chioma Edoka Okoli also known as Chioma Egodi Jnr, Happiness Obas now at large And Don Kashking now at large ‘m’ of on or about sometime in the month of September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable 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.
The second count stated, “That you Chioma Edoka Okoli also known as Chioma Egodi Jnr, Happiness Obas now at large and Don Kashking now at large ‘m’ of on or about sometime in the month of September, 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court intentionally send 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 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, and thereby committed an offense contrary and punishable under Section 24 (1) (B) Cyber Crime Prohibition Act.”
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