The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday, ordered the remand of a Bayelsa blogger, Saint Onitsha Mienpamo, in Kuje prison custody following his arraignment for alleged cyberbullying.

He was arraigned for allegations bordering on defamatory publications against the interim administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Barry Ndiomu.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling after Mr Mienpamo made his plea, directed the defendant be remanded in prison custody until December 4, when the trial would commence.

The inspector general police is the complainant in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/492/23. Mr Mienpamo is the defendant in the application dated October 13 and filed on October 16.

Mr Mienpamo, the owner of Naijalivetv.com, is standing trial on a three-count charge bordering on alleged willful libel, threat, causing danger and insult against the PAP interim administrator.

When the case was called, the prosecution counsel, NO Eleodimio, told the court that the matter was slated for a plea and that they were ready to proceed.

Mr Mienpamo, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts after they were read to him.

His lawyer, Terungwa Ananbe, told the court that a bail application had been filed on Mr Mienpamo’s behalf. But Mr Nwite said the application was not in the court records and could not hear an application that he had not seen.

The judge consequently adjourned the matter until December 4 for trial.

Mr Mienpamo, a self-acclaimed ex-agitator, in one of the counts, is accused of sending a message or post through a computer system network via his Facebook page ‘Mienpamo Onitsha Saint’, which he knew to be false for causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, ill-will and needless anxiety to Mr Ndiomu.

The offence is punishable under section 24 (1) (b) of the cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.

(NAN)