By Stephen Simon
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has barred Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala, from harassing or intimidating prosecution witnesses or making electronic publications capable of compromising her trial over alleged cyberstalking involving Pastor Chris Okafor.
The order was part of the conditions given by Justice Akintayo Aluko on Friday as he admitted the actress to bail in the sum of N30m with two sureties.
Ogala is facing a four-count charge marked FHC/L/220C/2026, filed under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
The prosecution alleged that between September 2024 and March 2026, the actress unlawfully published intimate photographs of Okafor without his consent, circulated false and damaging allegations against him, and used electronic communications to bully, threaten and harass the cleric.
She was also accused of attempting to extort property from the pastor by threatening to continue publishing intimate and menacing materials unless he compensated her or bought her a house.
The prosecution maintained that the conduct was intended to damage the cleric’s reputation and expose him to public hatred, ridicule and opprobrium.
Ogala had approached the court through a 35-paragraph affidavit, alongside a further 35-paragraph affidavit filed on October 29, 2026, seeking her release pending the determination of the criminal charge.
However, the prosecutor, Tolulope Mokolu, opposed the application, raising concerns about the nature of the allegations and the possibility of the defendant interfering with the ongoing proceedings.
In his ruling on Friday, Justice Aluko restrained Ogala from making unwarranted electronic publications capable of exposing prosecution witnesses to harassment, threats or intimidation.
“Any unwarranted electronic publication capable of exposing the prosecuting witnesses to public harassment, ridicule, threat or intimidation, which is equally capable of exposing the proceedings of the court to ridicule and distortion, is accordingly restrained and disallowed,” the judge said.
The judge also ordered the actress to surrender her international passport to the court registrar and undertake to maintain good behaviour throughout the proceedings.
He stated that the conditions were necessary to balance the defendant’s constitutional right to liberty with the need to protect prosecution witnesses and preserve the integrity of the judicial process.
Justice Aluko acknowledged that Ogala remained innocent until proven guilty but expressed concern over her conduct during proceedings on October 28, 2026.
“By her misconduct and conduct in the open court, when she disrupted proceedings and caused a series of adjournments without any justification on the 28th of October, 2026, the defendant well exposed herself as a person capable of fomenting trouble when she is outside the courtroom,” he said.
The judge, however, noted that the defendant had apologized to the court over her conduct, adding, “That notwithstanding, the defendant is still presumed innocent by the provision of the Constitution.”
He noted that the court must exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously based on the facts and circumstances placed before it, without allowing sentiments to influence its decision.
Consequently, the court ordered Ogala to provide two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must either own a property in Lagos State, with verifiable evidence of registration at the Land Registry duly certified by the Registrar of Deeds, or be a prominent national officer of a political party or a prominent person of repute.
The court further directed Ogala to enter into a recognisance on oath to be of good behaviour and refrain from misconduct in the courtroom or court premises throughout the proceedings.
Justice Aluko ordered that the defendant be released from custody forthwith upon fulfillment of the bail conditions.
The case was adjourned until March 25, 2027, for trial.
