Popular social media influencer Okoro Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged N36m fraud.
The EFCC said in a statement on Friday that the defendant was arraigned by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 before Justice D.I. Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretenses and stealing.
According to the EFCC, Blessing CEO pleaded not guilty when the accusations were read to her.
The commission added that during the hearings, defense counsel P.I. Nwafor informed the court that the defendant had refunded N24m to the notional complainant and requested a brief adjournment to allow both parties to negotiate the outstanding balance.
“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24m out of the N36m.
“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,” said the statement.
However, prosecution counsel S.I. Suleiman informed the court that the federal government was the complainant in the case and that the prosecution was unaware of any arrangement between the defendant and the petitioner.
According to the statement, the court determined that any communication between the defendant and the nominal complainant would have no effect on the proceedings and directed that the defendant enter her plea.
The EFCC in the statement says, “One of the counts alleged that the defendant, between July 14 and 17, 2024, obtained N36 million from one Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the false pretense of leasing a six-bedroom detached duplex in Lekki, Lagos, a representation she allegedly knew to be false.
“Another count, according to the commission, accused her of fraudulently converting the said sum to personal use. ”.
Following her plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and asked the court to place the defendant in a detention facility until the trial.
However, defense counsel urged the court to remand her in EFCC custody, noting that she had only recently been charged with the accusations and was still working on her bail application.
Justice Dipeolu approved the request and remanded the defendant to EFCC custody.
According to the statement, the matter has been deferred until June 5, 2026, when the trial will begin.
