The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned a social media influencer and self-styled relationship therapist, Okoro Nkiruka, (also known as Blessing CEO).
According to the EFCC, she was arraigned before Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N36 million fraud.
Nkiruka was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N35 million.
A statement by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media & Publicity of the commission confirmed that the defence counsel, P.I. Nwafor, informed the court that the defendant had refunded part of the money to the petitioner.
“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million.
“We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance.
“The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” Nwafor said.
Oyewale also said the prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, stated that the prosecution was not privy to any discussion between the defendant and the nominal complainant.
“The complainant here is the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we are here for the arraignment. We urge that the defendant take her plea, as that is the business of the day,” he said.
According to Oyewale, Justice Dipeolu held that, “The defence and the nominal complainant can have discussions even during the pendency of the charge.
“It does not affect the proceedings before the court. The defendant will take her plea.”
One of the counts 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 false pretence.”
She was accused for pretending to lease a six-bedroom detached duplex situated at No. 1B, Tunbosun Osobu Street, Off Kuboye Road, Lekki, Lagos State, to Okoye.
This is a offence under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The second charge was that between July 14 and July 17, 2024, in Lagos, she fraudulently converted to her use N36 Million worth of Okoye’s property.
This is also an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to her.
Following her plea, Suleiman applied for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending trial.
Counsel to the defendant, however, informed the court that the defendant had only been served with the charge on Thursday and that efforts were ongoing to file her bail application.
He, therefore, prayed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of her bail conditions.
Justice Dipeolu granted the application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.
The matter was adjourned until June 5 for the commencement of trial.
