Manny Ita
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Nollywood actress Angela Okorie at the Suleja Correctional Centre following her arraignment on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The actress faces a three-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/278/2025, bordering on conspiracy, criminal defamation, and cyberstalking. The police allege that Okorie conspired with one Ifeoma Mbonu, who remains at large, to defame fellow actress Mercy Johnson Okojie by labeling her a “blood-sucking demon” in various social media posts. According to the prosecution, these actions violate the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges during the proceedings, prompting her lead counsel, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), to make an oral application for bail. Ejesieme argued that his client, a single mother, had been denied adequate time to prepare her defense, noting that the police arrested her in Lagos the previous day and only provided a copy of the charges an hour before the court session. “My client was never informed about the case in court but was only arrested in Lagos and brought to Abuja for arraignment,” Ejesieme stated, further claiming that the defense had been denied proper access to the actress for briefing.
Prosecuting counsel Victor Okoye opposed the oral application, requesting that the court remand the defendant to allow the state to prepare its case. While the defense urged the court to allow Okorie to continue enjoying administrative bail or be released to her counsel to care for her child, Justice Nwite ruled in favor of the prosecution’s remand request. The judge ordered that she remain in custody until Friday, January 30, 2026, when the formal bail application will be heard. In the wake of the ruling, filmmaker Ajemba Stanley criticized the speed of the judicial process in this instance, stating, “You arrested Angela Okorie at midnight yesterday, flew her to Abuja as early as 6am, and this morning took her to court… tell me how you will sleep tonight knowing fully well that your colleague is in prison.”
