Court refuses to keep blogger Ijele accused of cyber-bullying Zion Prayer Movement leader Ebuka Obi in police custody

Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered the remand of a blogger Chizorom Ofoegbu alias Ijele over alleged cyber-stalking and defamation of the spiritual director of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach Ministry, Evangelist Ebuka Obi.

Ijele pleaded not guilty to the three-count charges of conspiracy, cyber stalking and publishing vexatious and obnoxious publications against Obi.

Prior to the remand order, the prosecuting counsel Peter Ajike told the court that charges against Ijele had been amended.

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Defence lawyer Femi Falana objected to the amended charges on the ground that he was not served.

After being served, he withdrew his objection.

Falana orally applied for his client’s bail after Ijele took his plea.

Falana cited the Court of Appeal decision in the case between Abiola and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, delivered by Justice Abdullahi (JCA), and urged the court to use its discretion in granting the oral application for bail.

But the prosecutor urged the court to discountenance the oral application for bail, saying the court is one of record.

He, therefore, urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till when his bail application is filed and determined.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Aluko held that every case has its own peculiarities, and that the charges against the defendant are different from the one cited by the defence counsel.

Consequently, Justice Aluko ordered that a former bail application must be filed.

Pending the hearing of his bail application, Falana pleaded with the court to remand Ijele in the police facility in Abuja where he has been since March.

Again, the prosecutor opposed the application, and urged the court to remand him in the custody of correctional officers.

Justice Aluko acceded to the prosecutor’s submission, and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the correctional facility pending the hearing and determination of his bail on May 30.