Court grants Ekiti APC governorship aspirant bail over alleged cyberbullying

By Boye Oyeyemi

An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on Thursday granted bail to an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant, Abimbola Olawumi, who is standing trial over allegations of blackmail, cyberbullying and issuing threatening messages on social media.

Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun admitted the defendant to bail on self-recognition, citing her status as a senior citizen, and adjourned the case until July 28 for hearing.

The police arraigned Olawumi on a four-count charge, accusing her of making false allegations against the Chief Executive Officer of YSJ Farms, Yemisi Joluwe, and publishing threatening messages targeting Joluwe and two other individuals on Facebook and TikTok.

According to the prosecution, Olawumi allegedly accused Joluwe of embezzling Ekiti State Government funds without evidence and also posted the photographs and residential addresses of Joluwe, Adeleke Ajibade and Okewale Olayemi alongside alleged threatening messages.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, while her counsel, Odunayo Okunade, urged the court to grant bail, describing the offences as bailable and noting that his client is a senior citizen and former APC governorship aspirant.

Okunade later told journalists that the prosecution amounted to political persecution and executive recklessness, calling on the Federal Government to intervene in the interest of justice.

Speaking after her release on bail, Olawumi alleged that she was arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad in Abuja on Wednesday and transported to Ado Ekiti. She maintained that the issues raised in the complaint were already the subject of pending civil and criminal proceedings, accusing the Ekiti State Government of harassment and intimidation.

However, the Ekiti State Government denied any involvement in her arrest. In a statement, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), said the government neither ordered nor had prior knowledge of the police action, stressing that law enforcement agencies operate independently and urging the public to disregard claims linking the state to the arrest.