On Friday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Abuja Federal High Court granted Chioma Okoli bail in the sum of N5 million and two sureties in the same amount.
The judge stipulated that one surety must be either Okoli’s spouse or a blood relative with a verifiable source of income residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
Both sureties are required to deposit a passport photograph each, and Okoli must submit her international passport if she has one.
Okoli faces a two-count charge of cybercrime stemming from a Facebook post on September 17, 2023, where she criticized Erisco Foods Limited’s Nagiko Tomato Mix, claiming it was overly sugary. She noted she usually bought Gino or Sonia brands, but they were out of stock.
Her post drew significant reactions and led the company to petition the Inspector-General of Police, which brought the matter to the attention of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). NAFDAC subsequently inspected the product and the company’s operations.
During Friday’s ruling, Justice Lifu concurred with the arguments of Okoli’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, that the charges against her were bailable.
He emphasized that under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Okoli is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Denying her bail, he argued, would be an improper exercise of discretion, amounting to pre-trial judgment and judicial rascality.
The judge also considered Okoli’s health status in his decision to grant bail and adjourned the case to June 13 for further hearings.
Okoli was arraigned before Justice Lifu on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The judge ordered her remand until Friday to deliver a ruling on her bail application.
The prosecution counsel, Abdulrashid Sidi, had opposed the bail application, arguing that Okoli might jump bail due to her history of not honoring bail terms while on administrative bail.
The police also alleged that initial investigations revealed significant evidence of Okoli’s involvement in cybercrime.
Despite the prosecution’s objections, Justice Lifu granted the bail request, reaffirming the principle of presumed innocence and citing the need for a fair judicial process.
