Oluwakemi Oriowo Joseph, a socialite, has had her arrest ordered by Justice Friday Ogazi of the Federal High Court of Lagos. This comes after her persistent failure to appear before the court to answer charges of cyber stalking and perjury.
Justice Ogazi granted the application for a bench warrant against Oluwakemi, made by the prosecutor, Barrister Nosa Walter Uhumwangho, on Friday. The woman was scheduled to enter her plea on Friday for the 11 count-charge of cyber stalking and perjury brought against her by the police. However, neither she nor her lawyer, Anziaobong Akpan, were present in court.
Upon the defendant's absence, the prosecutor informed the court that at the last hearing, her lawyer had promised to produce her. Uhumwangho stated, "It’s obvious that it’s a tactic that the counsel didn’t want to appear. I therefore ask for a bench warrant against the defendant." After reviewing the court records, Justice Ogazi granted the warrant and adjourned the matter to September 18 for the defendant's arraignment.
According to the police, the defendant cyberbullied Bimbola Adelakun and Adegbenro Adelakun between September 24, 2019 and May 14, 2024, using social media platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram. She is also accused of forging a medical report dated April 15, 2024, with the intent to deceive the Lagos State Government and the general public.
The charges against Oluwakemi Oriowo Joseph include causing transmission of offensive and false communication via WhatsApp and Instagram, with the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, or needless anxiety to Bimbola Adelakun and her family. These actions are in violation of Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, and Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
When our reporter tried to reach Kemi Oriowo's phone,it was switched off.Those close to her reveal that she might have bolted to Canada, in order to evade arrest.
