Three Days after she was remanded in prison custody over alleged cybercrime, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to Nollywood actress Angela Okorie on Friday in the sum of N5 million.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by trial Justice Emeka Nwite, further ordered the defendant to produce one surety who must depose to an affidavit of means.

According to the court, the surety must be a Grade Level 13 Civil Servant who must submit his or her letter of appointment and last promotion letter.

Aside from directing both the defendant and the surety to submit two of their recent passport photographs to the court’s registry, Justice Nwite stressed that the residence of the surety must be verified.

The court held that the defendant should remain in Suleja prison, pending the perfection of all the bail conditions.

It fixed March 23 for the commencement of trial.

Justice Nwite had earlier dismissed a counter-affidavit the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) filed to oppose the release of the defendant on bail.

The IGP, who is prosecuting the case, through his legal team, told the court that the defendant posed a flight risk, alleging that she failed to honour the terms of an administrative bail the police granted to her.

The prosecution told the court that after the defendant breached the administrative bail condition and absconded, the person who stood as her surety also went underground.

Police told the court that it took efforts to arrest the defendant for trial, adding that there is a possibility that more charges would be filed against her.

It urged the court to take cognizance of the fact that charges against the actress would attract a prison term of up to 10 years upon conviction.

However, in her defence, counsel to the defendant denied the allegation that she absconded after she was granted administrative bail.

The defence lawyer adduced evidence to establish that his client was constantly in communication with the police.

The defendant had, in one of the correspondences between her and the police, claimed that she was undergoing treatment in a hospital and could not honour the invitation extended to her.

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Meanwhile, in his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the police failed to adduce concrete evidence substantiating their claim that the defendant would jump bail.

He ruled that the granting of bail is at the discretion of the court.

The embattled actress had before the ruling, pleaded not guilty to an amended seven-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/278/2025, which bordered on criminal defamation and cyberstalking.

Specifically, police alleged that the defendant had on various occasions, cyberstalked and defamed her fellow Actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie and thereby exposed her to threats and harassment.

The prosecution told the court that sometime between 2024 and 2025, the defendant intentionally transmitted through computer network on her various social media platforms, posts that referred to her colleague, Mercy Johnson Okojie as a blood sucking demon.

The said social media post which was referenced in the charge, read: “Blood sucking demon no see blood suck again, E say na slimming tea. Except there’s no God, MJ go and beg people you chop their destinies and destroyed their homes else no peace for the wicked!!! Gospel songs won’t save you. Your heart Is Dark!!!”

Moreover, the defendant was said to have called Mercy Johnson Okojie’s late mother a witch who hijacked many people’s destinies.

She was also said to have alleged that Ms. Okojie’s late mum initiated all her children into witchcraft.

The police maintained that offences the defendant committed were in breach of Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act of 2015.

The court had, on Wednesday when the defendant was first arraigned, ordered her remanded to prison custody pending the determination of her bail application.

The defendant was arrested in Lagos and transferred to Abuja for the trial.

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