Erisco: Court grants Chioma Okoli N5m bail

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Chioma Okoli, who has been jailed since 2023 for allegedly posting a review of tomato paste.

In a ruling dated Friday, May 31, 2024, Justice Peter Lifu granted the defendant N5 million bail with two sureties in the same amount.

The judge ruled that one surety must be her husband or a blood relative with a documented income and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

He further ruled that the sureties must deposit their passport photographs, despite Chioma’s orders to surrender her international passport and refrain from leaving the country without jurisdiction.

Justice Lifu stated that the allegations against her are bailable, and scheduled the next hearing on 13th June.

This followed a few days after her lawyer admitted that she, unfortunately, lost her pregnancy because of the strain the case had on her over the past few months.