A Federal High Court in Yenagoa on Friday admitted a Bayelsa State-based blogger, Bara Ogidi, charged with alleged cyberstalking to N5 million bail.
The Department of State Services arraigned Ogidi for alleged false report targeted at the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote.
Ogidi, a publisher of an online new media, Tracknews, is facing a two count charge of cyberstalking.
Ruling on the bail application filed by Ogidi’s counsel, Temedie Great, trial judge, Justice Isa Dashen, ordered that the surety must be a responsible citizen who resides and owns landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
He further ordered that in the alternative, if the surety is a civil servant, he must not be below the rank of a Director.
The judge adjourned the case until July 25 for continuation of trial and ruled that the defendant should remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre at Okaka in Yenagoa.
The DSS alleged that Ogidi accused Wabote of offering him N10 million to lure him to testify in his favour in a defamation suit filed by the NCDMB Executive Secretary against Jackson Ude.
Count 1 of the charges read: “CYBERSTALKING, contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)b of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“You OGIDI BEN BARA on February 11, caused a false information to be disseminated via various online newspaper outfits including ‘THE EAGLE ONLINE.’”
The DSS said the publication caused annoyance, enmity, hatred and ill will towards Wabote.
It said the offence of cyberstalking is contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)b of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
