A Lagos High Court has postponed ruling on the bail application of social media personality Blessing CEO, who is standing trial over an alleged N36 million fraud case, until June 9.
Blessing, whose full name is Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a two-count charge involving alleged obtaining by false pretence and theft.
The charges allege that between July 14 and 17, 2024, she obtained N36 million from a complainant after claiming she could secure a six-bedroom duplex in the Lekki area of Lagos.
She is also accused of unlawfully converting the money, said to belong to Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye, for personal use.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During Friday’s proceedings, her lawyer, P.I. Nwafuru, asked the court to grant her bail.
However, EFCC counsel, S.I. Suleiman, opposed the request, stating that the commission had filed a counter-affidavit through the investigating officer challenging the application.
He said the prosecution intended to rely on the affidavit and accompanying exhibits, adding that the defendant allegedly stopped responding to EFCC invitations during the investigation.
“We rely on all the depositions contained therein and the exhibits attached. At some point during the course of the investigation, the defendant stopped honouring invitations extended to her by the Commission,” Suleiman said.
“We urge Your Lordship not to accede to the request of the defence and instead order an accelerated hearing of the matter.”
The prosecution tendered several documents, including the petition, the defendant’s statements, tenancy records, and bank statements belonging to both the complainant and the defendant.
Nwafuru objected to the admission of Blessing’s statements, arguing that there was no evidence showing a lawyer was present when they were obtained and that no video recording of the process was presented before the court.
In response, Suleiman maintained that the law does not make a lawyer’s presence mandatory and argued that all documents were lawfully obtained and properly certified.
Justice D.I. Dipeolu overruled the objection and admitted the documents into evidence.
“Section 17(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) clearly provides that a suspect’s statement may be taken in the presence of a legal practitioner of his or her choice, a representative of the Legal Aid Council, a representative of a civil society organisation, or any other person chosen by the suspect,” the judge stated.
Testifying before the court, EFCC investigator Bufa Regina Okangbe said Blessing admitted in statements made in the presence of her husband and lawyer that Okoye paid her N30 million.
She further revealed that investigations conducted through the Lagos State Land Bureau showed that the disputed property belonged to Tunbosun Osobu, not the defendant.
According to Okangbe, Osobu confirmed that he had leased the property to Blessing for three years before renewing the agreement in 2025.
She added that the complainant provided the lease agreement and tenancy acquisition documents, while the prosecution also tendered petitions, statements and bank records as evidence.
Okangbe told the court that an analysis of the defendant’s bank accounts showed that the funds were allegedly transferred to several individuals and businesses, including Beauty City by Lekki, her mother, and Kenneth Emeka Onuora.
She also stated that the complainant had already commenced renovation work on the property before allegedly being evicted by its owner.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to June 9 for ruling on the bail application and June 22 for continuation of trial.