Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi has ordered that a social media influencer and relationship therapist, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, also known as Blessing CEO, be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following her arraignment on Friday.
Blessing CEO was arraigned before Justice Deinde Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on allegedly obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of ₦36,000,000.00 (Thirty-six Million Naira).
At the commencement of proceedings, the defence counsel, P. I. Nwafor, told the court that the defendant had refunded part of the money to the nominal complainant.
“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million,” Nwafor said.
“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.”
In his response, the prosecution counsel, Suleiman I. Suleiman, informed the court 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,” Suleiman said.
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In his ruling, 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 in the charge 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.”
Another count reads: “That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA, between July 14 and 17, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N36,000,000.00 (Thirty-six Million Naira), property of Mrs Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye, and you thereby committed 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 charge preferred against her.
Following her plea, Suleiman applied for a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant to 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, May 14, 2026, and that efforts were ongoing to file her bail application.
He pleaded that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of her bail conditions.
Justice Dipeolu then granted the application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody.
The judge then adjourned till June 5, 2026, for the commencement of the trial.
