Court Grants ‘Relationship Expert’ Blessing CEO Bail for Just N10million Over Cyber-Bullying
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos granted bail to self-acclaimed relationship expert, Blessing Okoro, known as Blessing CEO, for alleged cyber-bullying, libel, and others.
Blessing CEO was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), on Thursday, over her involvement in Lagos celebrity auto dealer Ikechukwu Ogbonna, a.k.a IVD, and his late wife, Bimbo Ogbonna’s case.
She was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on cyberbullying, libel, and for exhibiting uncensored movies.
Police prosecutor, Rotshang Faith Dimka, in a piece of proof information filed before the court, stated that Okoro Blessing of Lekki, Lagos, on October 16, 2022, “intentionally sent messages using her Instagram handle @officialblessingceo to bully, threaten and harass one Folashade Samuels, a.k.a Mamajazz, a younger sister to the late Bimbo Ogbonna.”
The police also accused the blogger of using her Instagram handle @officialblessingceo, to harm the reputation of Folashade Samuels and the late Bimbo Ogbonna, by exposing them to hatred, contempt, and ridicule.
Accusing her also of exhibiting a film and video work titled “Sweet Sour” without a censorship certificate and without holding a licence as issued by National Film & Video Censors Board (NFVCB).
The police had told the court that the offence the defendant/accused committed contravenes Section 24 (2)(a)(1) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act. They also reportedly contravene Section 33 of the NFVCB Act, 2004.
Okoro had pleaded not guilty.
Following her no-guilty plea, Justice Yelim Bogoro in a court sitting on Friday ordered that she should be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Services, NCoS, till the 30th of May for a hearing of her bail application.
However, during the hearing of the case on Tuesday, her lawyer filed a bail application before Justice Tijjani Ringim of the Federal High Court, where she was granted N10 million bail in the absence of opposition from the prosecution, with two sureties in like sum.
