The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to activist and social media commentator Justice Mark Chidiebere, popularly known online as Justice Crack, in the sum of N5 million over his ongoing cybercrime trial.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while delivering her ruling on the bail application, stated that the bail must be supported by one surety with the same financial value.
According to the court, the surety must live within the court’s jurisdiction and must have stayed at a fixed address for at least four years. The person is also expected to provide proof of residence through either a tenancy agreement or a certificate of occupancy.
The court further ordered that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15 and must submit evidence of salary payments for at least three months, along with a letter of confirmation from their department.
In addition, the surety is required to present proof of pensionable employment, swear an affidavit of means, and provide a recent passport photograph. Justice Crack was also directed to surrender his international passport to the court.
During the hearing, prosecution counsel M.L. Jackson informed the court that the prosecution was ready to proceed with the trial.
The first prosecution witness, identified as DSS operative Uruntu Douglas, told the court that he became involved in the case after being transferred from the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps to the Department of State Services.
According to the witness, the defendant voluntarily gave a statement during investigations in the presence of his lawyers.
Douglas claimed that some soldiers allegedly sent photographs to Justice Crack, who then reportedly used the images to create videos and publish them on social media without verifying the materials with military authorities.
The witness also told the court that investigators recovered data from the defendant’s mobile phone, including videos allegedly shared online, conversations with some soldiers, chats discussing protest plans, and content from his social media accounts.
He added that a certificate of compliance was later issued and signed after the forensic examination of the phone was completed.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer Sam Amadi informed the court that the defence team had not received some investigation documents and reports the prosecution intended to present as evidence.
The prosecution admitted the omission, describing it as an oversight and apologised before the court.
Justice Abdulmalik later accepted the DSS investigation report as evidence in the case.
The prosecution also submitted an iPhone allegedly recovered from the defendant, a flash drive said to contain social media videos, extracted conversations, and the certificate of compliance.
However, the defence objected to the flash drive being admitted as evidence, arguing that its contents had not yet been properly described or played before the court.
The case was later adjourned until May 25 for continuation of hearing, while the first prosecution witness is yet to conclude his testimony.