Nigerian Court Sentences TikTok User To Three Years Jail For Defaming Nollywood Actress

Nwakaego Okoye was convicted on Wednesday, April 3, after she pleaded guilty to the charge brought against her.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has convicted and sentenced a TiKTok user, Nwakaego Okoye for defaming a Nollywood, Eniola Badmus.

Nwakaego Okoye was convicted on Wednesday, April 3, after she pleaded guilty to the charge brought against her.

She confessed to have defamed actress Eníola Badmus because a friend, Fortune Ibe, promised to pay her N200,000 to do so.

However, for being remorseful, Justice Oweibo gave her the option to pay the fine of N150,000 in lieu of jail time, saying that her action contravened Sections 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(c) and 27 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.

It was learnt that Nwakaego and one Chimabia who is now at large were jointly charged for the offence.

Meanwhile, in 2023, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court had declared Section 24 of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act vague, arbitrary and unlawful.

SERAP said the ECOWAS Court gave the ruling in a suit it filed before the court, saying that Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act was contrary to the rule of law; therefore, "the Nigeria Police cannot charge anyone with cyberstalking based on the provision of Section 24."

“The ECOWAS Court has ruled (in the suit brought by SERAP) that Section 24 of Nigeria's Cybercrime Act is vague, arbitrary, and unlawful.

“So, it is contrary to the rule of law for the police to charge anyone with supposed "cyberstalking." Section 24 is INVALID," SERAP stated on its Twitter page.