Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted bail to Bayelsa based Publisher and promoter of the Naija Live TV, Mr. Saint Mienpamo Onitsha.
Onitsha was charged to the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged cyber stalking in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/492/2023 with the Inspector-General of Police as Complainant and Mienapamo Onitsha Saint as Defendant.
Onitsha was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre following his arraignment.
At the bail application hearing, the Prosecuting Counsel, Victor Okoye Esq, who opposed the bail application being sought, raised concern about the possibility of the accused jumping of bail.
The Defence Counsel, Benjamin A. Ogbara Esq, argued that despite the opposition put forward by the prosecution, which to him was unfounded, the Court has the discretionary power to admit his client to bail.
Justice Nwite, after listening to the submissions of the prosecuting and Defence Counsels admitted Saint Mienpamo Onitsha to bail pending the determination of the trial.
The judge, while granting the bail application stated that the defendant has shown that he is willing to defend the case against him and ready to cooperate with the court by not jumping bail.
Justice Nwite also stated that despite the argument put forward by the prosecution counsel on the possibility of the defendant jumping bail, “there is no concrete evidence before the court to buttress the assertion. And I am granting the defendant bail in the interest of justice.”
Among the conditions of bail include the payment of N10 million and presentation of two sureties one of which shall possesses a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and the document to the landed property must be verified by the Deputy Registrar of the Court.
Also the second surety must be a responsible citizen of Nigeria and both counsel as well as the sureties must each deposit two copies of their recent photographs with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court.
The residence of the sureties must also be verified and confirmed by the registrar of the court, the bail conditions stated.
Justice Nwite, thereafter, adjourned the case to March 19, 2024 for trial.
It would be recalled that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on November 2, 2023 ordered that Onitsha be remanded at the Kuje Custodial Centre, over alleged defamation and cyber stalking of the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major General Barry Ndiomu (Retd).
The three-count charge borders on alleged willful libel, threat, causing danger and insult against the PAP Interim Administrator.
The journalist had however pleaded not guilty.
The charges read in part, “That you Mienpamo Onitsha Saint of Imiringi Road, Yenagoa, sometimes in September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did knowingly and intentionally send a message/post by means of computer system network via your Facebook page ‘Mienpamo Onitsha Saint’ that vote of no confidence be passed on Ndiomu as Amnesty Delegate strangled to death by Ndiomu Boys in Abuja which you know to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, ill will and needless anxiety to one Major General Barry Ndiomu (Retd) and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
“That you Mienpamo Onitsha Saint of Imiringi Road, Yenagoa sometime in September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court knowingly and intentionally transmitted and caused the transmission of a communication through a computer system network via public Facebook page known as Bayelsa Focus Group that vote of no confidence be passed on Ndiomu as Amnesty Delegate strangled to death by Ndiomu Boys in Abuja which is aimed at bullying, threatening and harassing the person of Major General Barry Ndiomu (Retd) and such communication has caused him fear of death, violence, bodily harm and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 24 (2) (a) of the cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015”.
