Court remands Ekiti APC ex-gov aspirant over alleged cyber bullying 

Court remands Ekiti APC ex-gov aspirant over alleged cyber bullying

An Ekiti State Magistrate’s Court sitting in the Ado Ekiti District on Monday remanded an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in the June 2026 Ekiti State election, Abimbola Olawumi, at the Ekiti Correctional Centre for one month over allegations of defamation and cyberbullying.

Olawunmi Abimbola

The case was instituted against Olawumi by the Chief Executive Officer of YSJ Agro-Allied Limited, Mrs Yemisi Joluwe.

When the matter first came up on July 23, the police legal officer, Samson Osobu, stated in the charges that Olawumi “did knowingly and intentionally bring false accusation against Mrs Yemisi Joluwe when you stated that she has embezzled Ekiti State Government money, without any justification for your statement,” thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 106 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.

He also accused Olawumi of knowingly and intentionally transmitting communication on social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, in March 2026, without authority, and posting the photographs and addresses of Joluwe, Mr Adeleke Ajibade and Mrs Okewale Olayemi alongside a threatening message.

Osobu said the alleged offence was punishable under Section 398 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, had granted Olawumi bail on self-recognition as a senior citizen and adjourned the case until July 28, 2026, for hearing.

However, Adeosun revoked the bail on July 28 following the defendant’s failure to appear in court.

He subsequently issued a bench warrant and adjourned the matter until August 17 for further hearing.

Olawumi was consequently arrested and detained.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, counsel for the defendant, Odunayo Okunade, argued that the court had the power to grant bail because the charges were bailable offences.

He added that the charges should not be used to keep the defendant in custody.

But the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu, urged the court to consider the gravity of the alleged offences, arguing that Section 14 of the Cybercrime Act, as amended in 2024, stipulated that only the Federal High Court had the power to grant bail in such matters.

Osobu said the court had the power to keep Olawumi in the correctional centre to prevent her from jumping bail.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate ordered that Olawumi be remanded at the Ekiti Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until September 17 for further hearing.