The Department of State Security on Wednesday arraigned Bara Ogidi at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa over an alleged false report against the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote.
Ogidi, a Bayelsa State-based publisher of an online new media, Tracknews, is facing a two count charge of cyberstalking.
According to the charge, Ogidi had allegedly accused Wabote of offering him the sum of N10 million to lure him to testify in Wabote’s favour in a defamation suit filed by the NCDMB Executive Secretary against another online publisher based in the United States of America, Jackson Ude.
Count 1 of his offence: “CYBERSTALKING, contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)b of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015. You OGIDI BEN BARA on 11th February, 2022, caused a false information to be disseminated via various online newspaper outfits including ‘THE EAGLE ONLINE’, which you knew to be false to wit that the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote offered you the sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) for the purpose of luring you to testify in his favour in an alleged defamation suit filed by him against one Jackson Ude.
“This publication caused annoyance, enmity, hatred and ill will towards the said Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote.”
COUNT 2: “CYBERSTALKING, contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)b of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015. You, OGIDI BEN BARA on 6th May, 2022 via your online newspaper outfit-TRACKNEWS disseminated a false information which you knew to be false. To wit- that the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote in connivance with Shell Petroleum Development Company excluded the people of Ekeremor Local Government from contracts at the East Area oilfields.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ogidi pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Subsequently, prosecuting counsel, Victor Uchendu sought an adjournment to enable the DSS open its case.
Semedie Peter, defence counsel, however, urged the court to grant bail to Ogidi who has been in the custody of the DSS for 10 days, but Uchendu argued that he needed time to respond to the bail application.
Trial judge, Justice Isa Dashen, adjourned until June 17 to hear the bail application and continuation of trial and remanded Ogidi at the Yenagoa Correctional facility until the adjourned date.
