Court Strikes Out Two Counts Of Cybercrime Against Social Media Influencer

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed two of the three counts of the cybercrime charge filed against social media blogger Chizorom Ofoegbu, popularly known as Ijele.

The police had arraigned Ijele for allegedly accusing the spiritual director of Zion Movement Outreach Ministry, Lagos, Evangelist Ebuka Obi, of performing fake miracles, through his social media handle named ‘The King of the game’.

The defendant was docked before the court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, cyber stalking, and publishing a vexatious and obnoxious publication against the person of Obi.

The defence lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) had filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of a court to try him for the offences of cybercrime and criminal defamation case.

During the arraignment of the blogger, a deputy superintendent of Police (DSP), Peter Ajike, informed the court that he wanted to replace the charge with an amended one dated April 15, 2024.

Though Falana objected to the amended charge on the ground that he was not served, he later accepted it upon being served with the amended charge.

As a result, the three-count amended charge was read to the defendant.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, a development that made the defence lawyer to orally apply for his bail.

But the prosecutor urged the court to discountenance the oral application for bail, saying that the court is a court 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 a formal bail application should be filed.