A prosecution witness has told a Lagos court that he paid N69.15 million for a property that social media influencer Blessing Nkiruka, popularly called Blessing CEO, allegedly presented as her own. The witness testified on Monday, October 12, 2026, at the continuation of her fraud trial. Meanwhile, the defendant maintains her innocence.
Dr Onuoha Okeigwe, the first prosecution witness (PW1), gave his evidence before Justice R. A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja. He told the court that he paid N69,150,000 for a five-year lease on the property. According to him, the defendant represented herself as its owner.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the influencer on June 9, 2026. Officers from its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 brought the case. The charge sheet lists two counts, namely obtaining money by false pretence and stealing, and both involve the same N69,150,000.
Count one gives the prosecution’s version of events in detail. It alleges that, on or about March 21, 2025, the defendant induced Hope Chiropractic Health Clinic Limited to pay her N69,150,000. The company allegedly paid because she said that the property at No. 1 Tunbosun Osobu Street, Lekki, belonged to her and that she had leased it to the company for five years. The charge describes that claim as “a representation you knew to be false.”
The prosecution brought the case under Section 1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. Section 1(3) of the same law prescribes the punishment. However, the defendant pleaded not guilty when the court read the charges to her, so the prosecution must now prove its case.
In court on Monday, the witness described what happened after he took over the property. He said he contacted the defendant when problems arose, but she allegedly dismissed his concerns. The next day, a man identified as Mr Tom reportedly arrived with police officers. The officers then arrested some of the witness’s workers.
Dr Okeigwe said he went straight back to the defendant. “I informed the defendant, and she claimed she did not know Mr Tom,” he told the court. He added that he paid N100,000 to secure the release of his workers. Furthermore, he said the defendant kept insisting that she owned the property.
The witness also presented evidence to support his account. He identified WhatsApp messages in which the defendant allegedly sent him photographs of the building. In his testimony, those photographs served as proof of her ownership. Moreover, he told the court that he paid her extra charges on top of the lease sum, including agency, legal and caution fees.
Dr Okeigwe then made a pointed allegation. He told the court that the defendant was not the true owner of the property, even though she collected N69,150,000 from him. In addition, he said she collected money from another victim for the same property. The defence has yet to answer those claims, and the court has not made any finding on them.
The case has drawn attention because the defendant has a large following on social media. Still, the proceedings turn on documents, messages and testimony, not on public opinion. Therefore, the court will weigh the witness’s evidence against whatever the defence presents when its turn comes.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the trial until October 26, 2026, for continuation. Consequently, observers expect more testimony on that date, possibly including cross-examination of the witness. Until the court rules, the law presumes the defendant innocent of all charges.
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