A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that actress Angela Okorie be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State following her arraignment on allegations of criminal defamation and cyberstalking.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Wednesday while ruling on an oral bail request filed by Okorie’s counsel, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), shortly after the actress entered a not-guilty plea to a three-count charge instituted against her by the police.
The judge directed that Okorie be kept in custody until January 30, the date fixed for the hearing of her bail application.
According to the charge, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/278/2025, Okorie, who resides at 1 Henry Montero Street, Lekki Palm City, Ajah, Lagos, is accused of conspiring with one Ifeoma Mbonu, currently at large, to commit cyberstalking and defamation. The allegation stems from social media posts on Instagram and TikTok in which a fellow actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie, was described as a blood sucking demon.
The police said the alleged acts, which occurred in 2024, contravened provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015.
After the defendant took her plea, prosecuting counsel Victor Okoye asked the court to remand her in Suleja prison and adjourn the matter for the prosecution to open its case.
Ejesieme opposed the application, arguing that his client was denied sufficient time and opportunity to prepare her defence. He told the court that although the charge was filed in July 2025, a copy was served on the defendant barely an hour before proceedings commenced.
The defence also claimed that Okorie was not previously informed of the case, but was arrested in Lagos a day earlier and brought to Abuja for arraignment. Ejesieme further alleged that the police prevented him from having access to his client for proper briefing.
He urged the court to allow Okorie to continue on the administrative bail earlier granted by the police or, alternatively, release her to him to enable her make arrangements for her child and file a formal bail application. He noted that the actress is a single mother who was not given time to make adequate provision for her child before being taken to Abuja.
In response, Okoye dismissed the defence arguments, maintaining that the administrative bail had lapsed upon arraignment. He accused Okorie of jumping bail and failing to honour invitations from the police headquarters in Abuja.
The prosecutor urged the court to direct the defendant to file a formal bail application, insisting this would allow the prosecution present documents showing she failed to comply with earlier police invitations.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite confirmed that the police issued an invitation to the defendant on January 16 in connection with the case. However, he faulted the police for denying her access to her lawyers prior to the court session.
The judge ordered both parties to file and exchange all relevant documents relating to the bail application within 24 hours. He further directed that Okorie remain in Suleja prison and be produced in court on January 30 for the hearing of her bail request.
The case arose from a petition written by Mercy Johnson Okojie’s lawyer, which accused Okorie and Ifeoma of making defamatory allegations. Part of the petition dated May 14, 2025 included the quoted social media statement at the centre of the dispute.