Nollywood actress Doris Ogala has been remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos over allegations of cyberstalking, cyberbullying and attempted extortion involving Pastor Chris Okafor.
The actress was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on three counts bordering on the alleged publication of intimate photographs, dissemination of false electronic messages and threats against the cleric.
Justice Akintayo Aluko ordered her remand after she pleaded not guilty to all three charges, pending the hearing and determination of her bail application.
The prosecution counsel, Tolulope Mokolu, told the court that the alleged offences occurred between September 2024 and March 2026.
Mokolu accused Ogala of knowingly publishing nude and intimate photographs of Okafor on her social media accounts without his consent.
According to the prosecution, the alleged publications caused or were capable of causing embarrassment, emotional distress and damage to the pastor’s reputation, with the images subsequently circulating across blogs and other social media platforms.
The actress was also accused of sharing videos, recordings and electronic messages containing information she allegedly knew to be false, with the intention of bullying, intimidating, threatening and harassing the cleric.
In another allegation, the prosecution claimed that Ogala threatened to release more damaging and intimate material about Okafor unless he compensated her or bought her a house.
Mokolu told the court that the alleged threats were intended to tarnish the pastor’s reputation and expose him to public ridicule.
The prosecution said the alleged acts violated Sections 24(1)(a), 24(2)(a) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
Ogala, however, denied the allegations by pleading not guilty to all the counts.
Following her plea, the prosecution asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the actress. Mokolu also told the court that he had only received her bail application on Wednesday and needed time to study it and file a response.
But defence counsel, N. C. Atulomah, urged the judge to release the actress on bail, arguing that the decision rested within the court’s discretion.
Atulomah further told the court that Ogala was a governorship candidate of a political party in Abia State and assured the judge that she would attend the next court sitting if released.
The prosecution opposed the request, maintaining that it was still within the time allowed to respond to the bail application.
In his ruling, Justice Aluko held that the defence had not provided sufficient material to justify releasing the actress at that stage.
The judge, however, ordered an accelerated hearing of the bail application and fixed October 30, 2026, for the hearing.
He consequently directed that Ogala remain at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending the determination of her bail application.
The case is expected to return to court on Friday, October 30, for the bail hearing.
The allegations remain unproven, and Ogala’s plea of not guilty means the prosecution must establish its case in court.
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