Actress Doris Ogala arraigned, remanded in prison over alleged cyber bullying of Pastor Chris Okafor
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
An actress, politician and the African Action Congress, (AAC), gubernatorial candidate for Abia State in the 2027 election, Doris Ogala, was on Wednesday arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi Lagos by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) over charges bothering on alleged Cyber bulling and Cyber-stalking.
The actress cum politician was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko on a three counts charge.
When the case was called for arrraignment of the actress, Tolulope Mokolu announced his appearance for the prosecution, while N. C. Atulomah, appeared for the defendant.
Upon reading of the charge to the defendant, she denied all the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to the charge, the defendant Doris Ogala was alleged to have at different times published, transmitted and disseminated on her social media platforms, videos, recordings and electronic messages containing false information against Pastor Chris Okafor.
The defendant was also alleged to have knowingly and intentionally published on her social media handles, nude and intimate photograph of Pastor Chris Okafor, without his consent, which she knew would cause annoyance, embarrassment, emotional distress, and injury to his reputation and which the said images were subsequently disseminated across various social media blogs and platforms.
She was also alleged to have transmitted by electronic communications and information through her social media account against Pastor Chris Okafor with intent to extort property, knowingly threatening to continue publishing menacing and intimate material against the said Pastor Chris Okafor, unless he either compensates her or buys her a house, with intent to harm his reputation, cause police threat, ridicule and opprobrium.
Based on her plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for trial date, and also prayed the court to remand the defendant in Correctional Centre pending the determination of the charge.
However, her lawyer N.C Atulomo attempted to move bail application filed on behalf of the defendant.
In his submission, he said the fact of the case is that it was a lover relationship that got sour but he was interrupted by Justice Aluko who said that such submission was not necessary for a bail application.
In his reply to the hearing of bail, the prosecutor opposed hearing of the bail summons on the ground that he was just served the previous day and asked for time to file a counter. The prosecutor informed the court that he was just served with the defendant’s bail application and therefore needs time to study it and respond to same accordingly. He asked for an adjournment and the remand of the defendant pending the hearing of her bail application.
But defence counsel informed the court that he opposed the remand application made by the prosecutor, saying that granting bail is at court’s discretion.
He prayed the court to release the defendant to him whom he said is a governorship candidate of a political party in Abia state, and undertook to produce her at the next hearing of the matter.
However, the prosecutor vehemently opposed the defence counsel’s request that the defendant be released to him, saying that he is still within time to respond to the bail application.
Attempts by defence counsel to get the defendant released to him failed.
Ruling on the submissions of counsel, Justice Aluko ruled that the defence has not put any material before the court to grant its request. The judge however ruled that he will order accelerated hearing of the bail application.
Justiice Aluko ordered the remand of the defendant in the Nigeria Correctional Centre pending the hearing of her bail application and adjourned the matter till October 30, 2026 for hearing of the application.
Besides the arraignment, there was a drama inside the courtroom when the defendant insisted she wanted to talk.
Despite a conscious attempt by her lawyer and other people persuading her not to talk, she insisted she must talk and started shouting ” I must talk, this is Nigeria, they are using government power to oppress me , my boyfriend is using government power to oppress me ……”
Justice Aluko had to rise for the day when noticed that the drama which was generating to commotion had become uncontrolable.
Charges against the actress read:
“That you, Doris Ogala, female, 34 years, sometimes between September 24, 2024 and March 2026, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did knowingly and intentionally publish on your social media handles, nude and intimate photograph of one Pastor Chris Okafor, without his consent, which you knew would cause annoyance, embarrassment, emotional distress, and injury to his reputation and which said images were subsequently disseminated across various social media blogs and platforms, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, Amendment Act 2024.
“That you, Doris Ogala, female, 34 years, sometimes between September 24 and March 2026, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did intentionally publish and caused to be disseminated to computer system and network, several videos, recordings and electronic messages containing information you knew to be false and which were calculated to bully, threat, intimidate and harass one Pastor Chris Okafor and which said electronic publications were subsequently disseminated across various online blogs and social media platform, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 24(2) (a) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, Amendment Act 2024.
“That you Doris Ogala, female, 34 years, sometimes between September 24 and March 2026, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, transmitted electronic communications and information through your social media account against one Pastor Chris Okafor with intent to extort property, knowingly threatening to continue publishing menacing and intimate material against the said Pastor Chris Okafor, unless he either compensates you or buys you a house, with intent to harm his reputation, cause police threat, ridicule and opprobrium, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, Amendment Act 2024.”
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