A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of popular Nollywood actress, Angela Okorie, at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State following her arraignment on charges bordering on criminal defamation and cyberstalking.
The order was made on Wednesday by Justice Emeka Nwite shortly after Okorie pleaded not guilty to a three count charge filed against her by the Nigeria Police Force. The judge ruled on an oral application for bail moved by Okorie’s counsel, Alex Ejesieme, SAN, and directed that the actress be kept in custody pending the hearing of a formal bail application fixed for January 30.
Okorie, a single mother of one, was arraigned on Charge No: FHC ABJ CR 278 2025, which lists her residential address as 1 Henry Montero Street, Lekki Palm City, Ajah, Lagos. The charges accuse her of conspiring with one Ifeoma Mbonu, who is currently at large, to commit acts of cyberstalking and criminal defamation against a fellow Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences were committed in 2024 through posts published on social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok. The police allege that Okorie used her verified social media accounts to describe Mercy Johnson as a “blood sucking demon,” a statement they say was deliberately made to injure the reputation of the actress and expose her to public hatred and ridicule.
The prosecution said the alleged acts contravene provisions of the Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Etc Act 2015, which criminalises cyberstalking, online harassment and defamatory publications carried out through digital platforms.
After the charges were read in open court, Okorie pleaded not guilty to all counts. Following her plea, prosecuting counsel, Victor Okoye, urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody and adjourn the matter for the commencement of trial.
Okoye told the court that the defendant had a history of non cooperation with investigators, noting that she failed to honour several police invitations during the investigation stage. He further informed the court that Okorie had previously been granted administrative bail by the police but allegedly breached the conditions attached to it.
“The administrative bail granted to the defendant has since expired upon her arraignment before this honourable court,” the prosecution counsel submitted. He added that remanding the defendant would ensure her availability for trial and allow the prosecution adequate time to respond to any formal bail application.
Okoye therefore requested the court to direct the defence to file a proper motion for bail, stressing that the prosecution intended to place relevant documents before the court in opposition to such an application.
However, Okorie’s counsel strongly opposed the request for remand, arguing that his client’s constitutional rights had been violated by the manner of her arrest and arraignment. Ejesieme told the court that although the charge was filed as far back as July 2025, Okorie was only served with a copy of the charge barely an hour before proceedings commenced.
He further told the court that the actress was arrested in Lagos the previous day and transported to Abuja without prior notice, denying her the opportunity to properly prepare her defence or make arrangements for her personal affairs.
“My client was never informed about the case coming up in court today,” Ejesieme said. “She was arrested yesterday in Lagos and brought to Abuja overnight. I was denied access to her for proper briefing before this arraignment.”
The senior advocate urged the court to exercise its discretion by allowing Okorie to continue enjoying the earlier administrative bail or, in the alternative, release her to his custody pending the hearing of a formal bail application. He noted that the defendant was a single mother and needed time to make arrangements for the welfare of her child in Lagos.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite acknowledged that the police had invited the defendant to report to their headquarters on January 16 in connection with the case. However, he faulted the police for denying the defendant access to her lawyers prior to her arraignment in court.
The judge directed both the prosecution and the defence to file and exchange all documents relating to the formal bail application within 24 hours to ensure an expedited hearing. He nevertheless held that the defendant should be remanded in custody pending the determination of the bail application.
“In the interest of justice and having considered the totality of circumstances, the defendant shall be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre,” Justice Nwite ruled. He further ordered that Okorie be produced in court on January 30 for the hearing of her bail application.
The case arose from a petition written by counsel to Mercy Johnson Okojie, which was submitted to law enforcement authorities. The petition reportedly attached copies of social media posts allegedly made by Okorie on her Instagram handle, @realangelaokorie.
One of the posts cited in the petition allegedly described Mercy Johnson as a “blood sucking demon,” a claim the petitioner said was false, malicious and calculated to damage the actress’s reputation.
According to the petition, the publication was intended to cause irreparable reputational injury, incite hatred, provoke unrest and emotionally traumatise Mercy Johnson. It further accused Okorie of repeatedly using her social media platforms to intimidate, falsely accuse and harass the actress.
“This malicious statement was published with the intent to cause irreparable reputational injury to our client, incite hatred, provoke unrest and further harass and emotionally traumatise her,” the petition read.
The petition urged the police to investigate the matter thoroughly and prosecute the suspect in accordance with the law to serve as a deterrent against abuse of social media platforms for defamation and harassment.
The arraignment and subsequent remand of Angela Okorie have since generated widespread reactions across the entertainment industry and social media, with fans and observers closely watching how the case unfolds. The court is expected to hear arguments on her bail application on January 30, while the substantive trial is expected to commence thereafter.
