Popular Nollywood actress Angela Okorie has been remanded at the Suleja Correctional Facility following allegations of defamation involving her colleague, Mercy Johnson.
An Abuja court ordered Okorie’s remand on Wednesday after she was arrested and arraigned over the matter. The actress was reportedly arrested in Lagos late on Tuesday and flown to Abuja on Wednesday morning.
Nollywood filmmaker Stanley Ontop confirmed the development in a post on Instagram, where he criticised the handling of the case and questioned the speed of the judicial process.
While accusing Mercy Johnson of intimidation, Ontop argued that defamation is a civil matter and should be addressed through proper legal channels rather than criminal proceedings.
“Free @realangelaokorie now. Irrespective of who is involved. If you feel they defamed your person, kindly approach a competent court and sue the person involved,” he wrote.
He further questioned the actions of law enforcement, adding, “So the judiciary can work this fast? Tell me how you will sleep this night knowing fully well that your colleague is in prison. Angela, I will never forsake you.”
As of the time of filing this report, neither Mercy Johnson nor the police had issued an official statement on the matter.