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Justice Peter Lifu, from the Abuja Federal High Court, granted Chioma Okoli bail for N5 million on Friday. She needs two sureties, one of whom must be a spouse or a blood relative with a steady income living in the court's area.
The sureties must provide passport photos, and Okoli has to hand over her international passport if she has one.
Prudentj2 reports, Okoli faces two charges related to cybercrime.
The charges are from a Facebook post Okoli made on September 17, 2023, about Erisco Foods Limited’s tomato paste. She claimed she bought Nagiko Tomato Mix from Erisco Foods and found it too sugary. She mentioned she usually buys Gino or Sonia brands, but they were out of stock.
Her post caused a stir, leading Erisco Foods to contact the police. The issue also got the attention of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), prompting them to inspect the product and Erisco Foods.
The trial judge agreed with Okoli’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, that the charges are bailable. Justice Lifu said Okoli is innocent until proven guilty and that denying her bail would be unfair.
Justice Lifu also considered Okoli’s health when making his decision. He granted her bail and set the next hearing for June 13.
Okoli was arraigned on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to all charges. The judge initially ordered her to be held until the bail ruling.
The prosecution lawyer, Abdulrashid Sidi, had asked the court to deny bail, arguing Okoli might flee. He mentioned that Okoli previously did not follow bail terms when given administrative bail. The police also claimed they had strong evidence against her for misuse of cyberspace.