A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has reserved ruling on the bail application filed by social media influencer Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, who is facing trial over an alleged N36 million fraud.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu fixed June 9, 2026, for ruling on the application after hearing arguments from both the defence and prosecution on Friday.
Blessing CEO is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
During proceedings, defence counsel, P.I. Nwafuru, urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms. However, EFCC counsel, S.I. Suleiman, opposed the request, relying on a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit filed by the Commission.
Suleiman informed the court that the defendant allegedly failed to honour several invitations extended to her during the course of the investigation, arguing that the court should reject the bail request and instead order an accelerated hearing of the case.
Following submissions from both parties, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter until June 9 for ruling on the application.
Earlier, the prosecution opened its case with testimony from the first prosecution witness, EFCC investigator Bufa Regina Okangbe.
Okangbe told the court that investigations began after a petition alleged that Blessing CEO received N36 million from a complainant for a property she did not own.
According to the witness, investigators conducted a Bank Verification Number (BVN) search and discovered several bank accounts linked to the defendant. The EFCC subsequently sought information from banks, the Lagos State Land Bureau and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
She testified that an examination of the defendant’s bank records prompted her invitation for questioning, where she was confronted with financial transactions linked to the complainant.
The witness further stated that Blessing CEO made statements under caution in the presence of her husband and legal representative and admitted receiving N30 million from the petitioner.
Okangbe also revealed that the Lagos State Land Bureau confirmed that the disputed property belonged to one Tunbosun Osobu and not the defendant.
According to her, Osobu later appeared before investigators alongside his lawyer and son and confirmed that he had leased the property to the defendant for three years, with the original lease expiring in 2023 before it was renewed in 2025.
The witness added that the complainant provided investigators with documents, including a lease agreement allegedly signed with the defendant and a tenancy acquisition form.
During the hearing, the prosecution tendered several documents, including the original petition, statements made by the defendant, tenancy acquisition documents and bank account statements.
The defence challenged the admissibility of the defendant’s statements, arguing that there was no indication that a legal practitioner was present during the recording process and that no video evidence of the exercise was produced. Objections were also raised regarding the bank statements.
Responding, the prosecution maintained that the law does not make the physical presence of a lawyer a mandatory requirement for the admissibility of extra-judicial statements, provided the suspect was given the opportunity to be accompanied by a person of choice. The prosecution also argued that the bank documents complied with the provisions of Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
In his ruling on the objections, Justice Dipeolu dismissed the defence’s arguments and admitted all the documents into evidence.
The judge held that Section 17(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act allows a suspect’s statement to be taken in the presence of a legal practitioner, a Legal Aid Council representative, a civil society representative or any other person chosen by the suspect.
Continuing her testimony, Okangbe told the court that the complainant paid N36 million through a company account to secure a lease on a property located at No. 1B Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, Lagos.
She said N25 million was paid into the defendant’s GTBank account, while N11 million was transferred into her Access Bank account.
The witness further disclosed that investigators traced subsequent transfers from the accounts, including N8 million paid to Mr. and Mrs. Osobu, N1.9 million transferred to Beauty City by Lekki, N11 million sent to Lina Uzoma Okoro, identified as the defendant’s mother, and N15 million transferred to Kenneth Emeka Onuora.
Under cross-examination, Okangbe stated that the Federal Republic of Nigeria was not involved in any settlement discussions allegedly reached between the defendant and the complainant.
She also told the court that she was unaware of any effort by the defendant to refund N24 million to the complainant, as claimed by the defence.
According to the investigator, the complainant had already commenced renovation work on the property before its owner allegedly appeared and evicted them from the premises.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until June 9, 2026, for ruling on the bail application and June 22, 2026, for continuation of trial.
