Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal High Court in Yenagoa on Friday granted bail to a blogger, Bara Ogidi, who is facing trial over alleged cyberstalking, for five million and a surety.
Recall that the Department of State Security on Wednesday arraigned Ogidi, over alleged false report targeted at defaming the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr 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, the trial judge, Justice Isa Dashen said that the surety must be a responsible citizen who resides and owns landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, Bayelsa.
Dashen further ruled that in the alternative, if the surety is a civil servant, the surety must not be below the rank of a Director; and that the surety must swear to an affidavit of means.
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.
According to the charge, Ogidi had allegedly accused Wabote of offering him the sum of N10 million to lure him to testify in Wabote’s favour in a defamation suit filed by the NCDMB Executive Secretary against Mr Jackson Ude.
He also accused Wabote of conniving with Shell Petroleum Development Company excluded the people of Ekeremor Local Government from contracts at the East Area oilfields.”
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