A High Court sitting in Benin City has adjourned the trial of Paul Okungbowa, governorship candidate of the Young People’s Party (YPP) in the 2024 Edo election, over alleged cyberstalking of a private citizen, Mr. Steve Aigbudu.
The case, filed as Charge No/B/CD/208c/2025, was slated for hearing on Monday November 3rd but was adjourned to November 21, 2025, due to the absence of both the defendant and his legal counsel.
Justice Rita Irele-Ifijeh granted an application by the State Counsel for hearing notices to be served on the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the defendant to ensure appearance on the next adjourned date.
Okungbowa’s current trial follows a previous conviction in December 2024, when he was sentenced to six months in prison for negligence and defamation after publicly insulting a pupil’s mother. He allegedly went on to post defamatory statements on Facebook, accusing the victim and her husband of bribing a magistrate — prompting the cyberstalking charge.
Legal observers say the case underscores growing judicial intolerance for social media defamation and online harassment.
