Erisco: Court Remands Chioma for Defamation

A Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded Mrs Chioma Egodi in the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Suleja over the criminal defamation charges against her.

Justice Peter Lifu on Tuesday remanded Egodi after she pleaded not guilty to the two-count charges brought under the Cybercrime Act of 2015.

The judge fixed Friday for ruling on her bail application filed by her lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.

Effiong had tendered a medical report while contending that his client had suffered a miscarriage as a result of the psychological trauma of the case.

However, the prosecution counsel, Abdulrashid Sidi, asked the court to refuse the bail application because, going by the history of the case, she would likely jump bail.

The prosecution informed the court that the defendant had failed to honour the terms of her initial administrative bail and would not comply if given a fresh one.

Unable to deliver the ruling on the spot, the judge shifted it to Friday while the main hearing would commence on June 13.

The Inspector-General of Police had filed a two-count charge against Chioma, Happiness Obas and Don Kashking, both said to be at large, on alleged conspiracy to send a message on Facebook through the handle Chioma Egodi Jnr, to instigate people against Erisco Foods Limited.

According to the charge, the defendants knew 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.”

The offences are contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) and 24(1)(b) Cyber Crime Prohibition Act