A Federal High Court, yesterday, ordered the remand of a blogger, Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, who allegedly accused 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 trial judge, Akintayo Aluko, ordered the remand of the blogger, after he pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy, cyber stalking, and publishing a vexatious and obnoxious publication against the person of Obi.
At the arraignment of the blogger, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Peter Ajike, appeared for the prosecution, while Mr Femi Falana (SAN) appeared for the defendant.
The prosecutor 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.
Upon reading the charge, the defendant pleaded not guilty.
Based on his not-guilty plea, Falana orally applied 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.
At this point, Falana pleaded with the court to remand him in the police facility, where he had been for two months.
He told the court that the defendant had been in police custody, Abuja, since March.
Again, the prosecutor opposed the application and urged the court to remand him in the NCoS’ custody.
Justice Aluko, in his short ruling, acceded to the prosecutor’s submission and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the NCoS, pending the hearing and determination of his bail on May 30.
