The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has scheduled June 9, 2026, for its decision on the bail application filed by self-acclaimed relationship expert, Blessing Nkiruka Okoro, widely known as Blessing CEO, who is currently facing prosecution over an alleged ₦36 million property fraud case.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu fixed the date after hearing arguments from both the defence and prosecution during proceedings.
Representing the defendant, P.I. Nwafuru informed the court that the bail application, filed on May 15, 2026, was backed by a six-paragraph affidavit alongside five supporting exhibits.
He appealed to the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendant and grant her bail under liberal conditions pending the determination of the case.
The request was, however, opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel, Suleiman Suleiman. The prosecutor told the court that the anti-graft agency had filed a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit dated May 29, 2026, sworn to by the lead investigating officer, Bufa Regina Okangbe.
“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.
“We urge Your Lordship not to accede to the request of the defence and instead order an accelerated hearing of the matter,” Suleiman submitted.
Following submissions from both legal teams, Justice Dipeolu reserved ruling on the bail application until June 9, 2026.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution opened its case by calling EFCC investigator Bufa Regina Okangbe as its first witness. The witness narrated how financial records, property documents and statements gathered during investigations allegedly revealed that the defendant collected ₦36 million from a complainant for a property she reportedly did not own.
According to Okangbe, the EFCC commenced investigations after receiving a petition which was assigned to her team.
She explained that investigators conducted a Bank Verification Number (BVN) search on the defendant, which uncovered several bank accounts linked to her identity.
“Following this, letters of investigation were sent to the banks, while another letter was forwarded to the Lagos State Land Bureau to determine whether the property belonged to the defendant.
“The Commission also wrote to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) regarding the defendant’s company, Break or Makeup Limited.
“After analysing the defendant’s statements of account, she was invited to the Commission’s office and confronted with transactions traced to her and the petitioner.”
The witness further informed the court that the defendant later made statements under caution in the presence of both her husband and legal counsel, during which she allegedly acknowledged receiving ₦30 million from the petitioner.
Okangbe disclosed that information received from the Lagos State Land Bureau showed that the disputed property was not registered in the defendant’s name but belonged to one Tunbosun Osobu.
The EFCC subsequently invited Osobu for questioning. He appeared before investigators alongside his son and lawyer.
According to the witness, Osobu confirmed that he had leased the property to the defendant for a period of three years. She added that the lease expired in 2023 before it was renewed in 2025.
The witness also testified that the complainant submitted documents including a lease agreement allegedly signed between the petitioner and the defendant, as well as a tenancy acquisition form.
During the hearing, the prosecution tendered several documents through the witness. These included the original petition dated February 18, 2025, statements allegedly made by the defendant on December 10, 11, 12 and 16, 2025, the tenancy acquisition form, the complainant’s Zenith Bank account statement belonging to Pipes and Barrel Limited, and the defendant’s GTBank and Access Bank account statements.
The defence objected to the admissibility of the defendant’s statements, arguing that there was no indication showing the presence of a legal practitioner during the recording of the statements.
Defence counsel also argued that no video evidence had been produced to demonstrate that the statements were voluntarily obtained.
Responding, the EFCC prosecutor maintained that the absence of a lawyer at the time of recording did not automatically invalidate an extra-judicial statement.
“The law only requires the presence of a legal practitioner or any person chosen by the defendant. The statements are very key to this matter, and we urge My Lord to admit them in evidence,” he submitted.
Regarding the bank records, Suleiman argued that all the statements presented before the court were accompanied by certificates of identification as required under Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
“The witness through whom the statements of account are being tendered is the investigating officer in this case, and the law recognises such authority as an exception to the hearsay rule,” he added.
In a ruling delivered during the proceedings, Justice Dipeolu dismissed the objections raised by the defence and admitted the documents as exhibits.
The judge explained that Section 17(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) permits the recording of a suspect’s statement in the presence of a legal practitioner, a representative of the Legal Aid Council, a civil society representative or any individual chosen by the suspect.
Continuing her testimony, Okangbe told the court that the petitioner paid a total sum of ₦36 million to the defendant through the company’s account.
She stated that ₦25 million was paid into the defendant’s GTBank account, while another ₦11 million was transferred into her Access Bank account as payment for the lease of a property located at No. 1B Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, Lagos.
Further analysis of the defendant’s bank transactions, according to the witness, revealed several subsequent transfers, including ₦8 million paid to Mr and Mrs Osobu, ₦1.9 million transferred to Beauty City by Lekki, ₦11 million sent to Lina Uzoma Okoro, identified as the defendant’s mother, and ₦15 million transferred to Kenneth Emeka Onuora.
Under cross-examination, the witness stated that the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which instituted the criminal proceedings, was not involved in any settlement arrangement allegedly reached between the complainant and the defendant.
She also said she was unaware of any effort by the defendant to refund ₦24 million to the petitioner, contrary to claims made by the defence team.
Okangbe further told the court that the complainant had already begun renovation works on the property before its owner, Tunbosun Osobu, allegedly arrived and evicted them from the premises.
Following the day’s proceedings, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter until June 22, 2026, for continuation of trial.
The EFCC is prosecuting Blessing CEO on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.
One of the charges reads: “That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA, between July 14 and 17, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did obtain the sum of N36,000,000.00 (Thirty-six Million Naira) from Mrs Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the false pretence of leasing a six-bedroom detached duplex situated at No. 1B, Tunbosun Osobu Street, Off Kuboye Road, Lekki, Lagos State, which representation you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
