By Nkechi Eze
Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, June 5, 2026, reserved ruling until June 9, 2026, on the bail application filed by social media influencer, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, also known as Blessing CEO, who is standing trial over alleged ₦36 million fraud.
The defendant is facing a two-count charge filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.
According to an official signed statement by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the development followed arguments on the bail application during which defence counsel, P.I. Nwafuru, urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms.
Opposing the application, prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, informed the court that the EFCC had filed a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by the investigating officer, Bufa Regina Okangbe, on May 29, 2026. He urged the court not to grant bail and instead order an accelerated hearing of the matter, citing alleged non-compliance by the defendant during investigation.
After listening to both parties, Justice Dipeolu reserved ruling on the bail application until June 9, 2026.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution called its first witness, EFCC investigator Bufa Regina Okangbe, who narrated how the Commission received a petition alleging that the defendant collected ₦36 million from the petitioner under the pretext of leasing a property she allegedly did not own.
Okangbe told the court that investigation efforts included Bank Verification Number (BVN) analysis, letters to financial institutions, and correspondence with the Lagos State Land Bureau and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). She stated that findings linked multiple bank accounts to the defendant and revealed that the disputed property belonged to one Mr. Tunbosun Osobu.
She further testified that the petitioner paid ₦25 million into the defendant’s GTBank account and an additional ₦11 million into her Access Bank account for the lease of a property located at No. 1B Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, Lagos.
According to her, subsequent analysis of the defendant’s accounts showed transfers of ₦8 million to Mr. and Mrs. Osobu, ₦1.9 million to Beauty City by Lekki, ₦11 million to Lina Uzoma Okoro, and ₦15 million to Kenneth Emeka Onuora.
During the proceedings, prosecution counsel tendered several documents including the petition, the defendant’s statements, tenancy documents, and bank records. Defence counsel objected to the admissibility of the defendant’s statements, arguing that they were taken without proper legal safeguards and without video recording.
However, the prosecution maintained that the statements were valid under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), while the bank records were properly certified in line with the Evidence Act.
In a ruling, Justice Dipeolu overruled the objections and admitted the documents as exhibits, holding that the law permits statements to be taken in the presence of a legal practitioner of the suspect’s choice or other designated representatives.
The matter was adjourned until June 9, 2026, for ruling on the bail application and June 22, 2026, for continuation of trial.
