WITHIN an hour of being treated mercifully a Crown Court judge, a woman accused of telling vicious and malicious lies against a Thurrock family appears to have breached the conditions of a community order today.

Ordered by a judge to adhere to strict social media instructions, her first act on leaving court was to take to social media where she claimed her sentencing was a victory – and described the woman she had abused as someone who is a 'dirty-looking unhealthy sad person that believes in lies'.

Basildon-based mother of six Oyebole Onowonuola, 36, had pleaded guilty to three charges of malicious communication after posting offensive, malicious and untrue comments about a South Ockendon woman, Tolulope Adeoye, and her two children.

The two women both run Facebook pages targetting the Nigerian community, addressing fashion and make-up among other issues.

Today (Thursday, 19 September) Onowonuola appeared before Judge Samantha Cohen at Basildon Crown Court where her defence barrister Joseph McKenna spoke about her admission of guilt and the fact she had admitted her many Facebook comments were false.

He briefed the court on her previous convictions, including one for battery, offered no mitigation other than the Nigerian-born woman who lives on Great Oxcroft in Laindon, had some mental health issues, but she was contrite. He spoke of the pressures on the mother and Facebook broadcaster, as she tried to raise her family, saying she was entirely supported by the social security system.

He called for the least punitive sentence possible from Judge Cohen.

Onowonuola, also known as Ashake Iberu, faced the possibility of up to two years in jail but Mr McKenna urged the judge not to consider that option and that any financial penalties also be minimalised.

He was speaking after the court heard an outline of the offences committed by Onowonuola which had reduced the South Ockendon victim and her family into lives riddled by fear and shame.

Prosecuting counsel Callum Munday told the court the offences dated back to November 2021 when, over a few weeks, Onowonuola used her Facebook channel 'Ask Ashake Talk Show' to launch a vicious and untrue campaign of hate and abuse. Her target, also known as Abike Jagaban, also runs a Facebook 'talk' and advisory channel, called Abike Jagaban Show. It has almost a quarter of a million followers.

Though it wasn't referenced in the three charges Mr Munday told the judge Onowonuola had physically approached and intimidated the complainant, who had captured the incident on her mobile phone. He offered to show the video to the court, but Mr McKenna said that was not necessary as the defence accepted it had happened.  

The popular Facebook channel where many of the comments were posted

Mr Munday said: "Onowonuola used her Facebook page to post messages in English and Yoruba (a Nigerian language).

"In those comments she described the complaint as a 'mad bastard', struggling to keep up with fashion. Comments included 'you are mother to a thief', 'You are a lazy mother to a stillborn child', 'You have had an abortion', 'you have kidnapped children to sell them to the highest bidder' and 'you have raised your daughter to be a prostitute'."

He related many other comments, including threats that the 49-year-old complainant would suffer violence at the hands of people in the Nigerian community, stirred up by the abuse.  Mr Munday added: "She said 'the people who will ruin your life are around you'.

The comments were said to have been well read among the Nigerian community Onowonuola's channel targets. It has more than 27,000 followers.

The court heard many of the lies concocted by Onowonuola became accepted as truths – a fact that impacted deeply on the lives of the complaint and her children, aged 14 and 17 at the time when the offences took place.

Victim statements were read by Mr Munday which included the complainant's words: "I have been suffering great anxiety. I have lost contact with my friends and family. I have no contact with Nigerian people.

"My relationship has broken down due to my partner not trusting me because of what was said.

"My friends and family keep their distance from me.

"I can't work or travel because of the stress and lies. I can't work with Nigerian people because of what was said.

"I worry for my life. I feel she is nasty. Someone – if not me, my family – will get hurt. She has said she will kill me or my children."

Tolulope Adeoye - also known as Abike Jagaban

The statement from her 17-year-old daughter said: "Due to how many people have watched the video, I cannot go out because people believe I am a prostitute.

"I have poor mental health. I have had police at my door asking me if I have been raped because of what she said."

And her younger brother stated: "I am always thinking about what was said of me online. I struggle to have friends because people believe I am a thief.

"I live in fear because of the comments. My life is tainted, this is not fair on me."

After both barristers spoke, Judge Cohen delivered her sentence, saying: "You have pled guilty to three offences of malicious communications.

"You inflicted a campaign of aggressive and unpleasant comments aimed at the complainant and her children. You expressed an element of anger and aggressiveness to intimidate her as you published deeply unpleasant lies about her and her children.

"This all happened in 2021 and 22. At that time you had already been made subject to a community order in relation to an assault."

Referring to pre-sentence reports Judge Cohen said: "I have read a great deal about you, including people who pay tribute to your character. Your actions make other people very anxious.

"People believed what you posted. Words hurt and they have consequences.

"You are a mother of six children, the youngster four, the eldest almost an adult. You are responsible to them.

"The maximum sentence is two years in prison, but I take the view that a custodial sentence would have a huge impact on your children, who would have to be cared for by social services.

"I have therefore decided to make a maximum three-year community order. You need immediate help. You need the assistance of professionals. You are ordered to attend a course dealing with your mental health issues."

Following the suggestion of defence counsel, Judge Cohen then showed compassion in the further level of sentencing.

She said it was important that Onowonuola did face a financial penalty, but acknowledged her difficult circumstances and levied a minimal £150, which has to be paid over six months. She warned Onowonuola: "If you don't pay, over the next six months, you will go to prison for seven days."

Judge Cohen had to deliver a victim support surcharge by law, which was set at £114 and Onowonuola has 12 months to pay that.

The judge said she would not be ordering Onowonuola to pay court costs because 'you are on state benefits and unable to work'.

The judge also issued an order banning Onowonuola from posting on social media about the case and the complainant and her family, coupled with a restraining order that she must not approach them.

Oyebole Onowonuola during her broadcast.

As Onowonuola, left the court building her barrister wished her well and said: "I hope that we don't meet here again."

However, that could be a reunion that happens very quickly.

Within minutes of the sentencing ending, Onowonuola – apparently broadcasting from a nearby Burger King - launched a live, 100 minute Facebook broadcast, which has already drawn more than 260 comments.

Oyebole Onowonuola speaks after sentencing.

In the broadcast, delivered in a mix of English and her Nigerian dialect, Onowonuola took an almost evangelical approach, repeatedly referring to god.

However, she singled out the complainant a number of times and denied that she had told lies about her – despite pleading guilty in court.

Opening by singing Hallelujah and eating chips, she appeared to mock the sentencing and sought to comment on the complainant.

Among the things she said were: "I am begging you. I will tell you something. You cannot teach ignorance."

Addressing a rapidly growing number of viewers, Onowonuola said: "I am telling you for a fact, I swear to God if you see them today, if you see what I saw today, you will not respond to such. I tell you, a proper sad soul, stark illiterate. 

"What you see on your phone is different from what you see in real life.

"It wasn't pleasant. A dirty-looking unhealthy sad person that believes in whole lies and thinks the whole world revolves around her.

"Unfortunately she lacks education and exposure."

In a direct message she said: "Deep inside you, you were a disgrace today."

Onowonuola  continued: "And someone like that you don't come to deliver. They are below the gutter.

"I'm going to continue to lead my life, I'm going to continue to stay happy and I am going to continue to mind my business. So, my people that is the outcome from today.

"I am grateful to God for the victory. For his mercy, for his grace and grateful to God for his blessing most of all.

"Soon we will know the truth."

Again directly addressing the complainant she said: "Did you hear what the judge said. She said 'you are a mother'. That I am a mother. That statement means a lot to me.

"I've read your biography, people wrote to the court to tell them about my character. What they know about me. They were true to themselves in their statement.

"My children also wrote to the judge, she read everything.

"Let me tell you one thing, let me educate you a little bit because you lack education.

"As big as your head is, you have no brain inside.

"I looked at you today and all I could see inside you, you are empty. You are nothing but a noisemaker, a keyboard warrior.

"I don't fight with my keyboard, I fight with my brain. I am very intelligent.

"You have no shame. It says a lot about your character and how you were brought up.

"You will continue to lay in the mud. You will continue to fight all your life.

"I have buried a child. I have grown. I have seen life. I will not tolerate lies. I am that pure.

"But believe or not, it is not done. It is not over, I know where to come and snipe.

"I stand by what I said. I stand by it - no regrets. I said what I said. I am still standing.

"I am still here. Do you seriously think I will be crying?

'I am the mother****ing chosen, I am the star."

Ms Adeoye has also posted on her Facebook platform this evening, saying: "We got justice at last, my children and I got vindicated.

"We got justice today."

She praised people for their 'endless' support, saying: "I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you.

"Despite the verdict and sentence I do not think she will stop.

"Thanfully this is not a lawless county. Whatever it is out there, report it to the police., Never get tired.

"They know how to manage the system, they are so good. Go the law way."

Tolulope Adeoye's post sentencing message.