The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has fixed June 9, 2026, to deliver its ruling on the bail application filed by social media personality and self-styled relationship therapist Blessing CEO, who is facing trial over alleged ₦36 million property fraud.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu scheduled the date after hearing arguments from both the defence and the prosecution at the resumed hearing of the case.
The defendant’s counsel, P.I. Nwafuru, told the court that the bail request, dated May 15, 2026, was supported by a six-paragraph affidavit and accompanying exhibits. He urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms.
However, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Suleiman Suleiman, opposed the application, arguing that the defendant had previously failed to honour invitations during investigations and urging the court to instead order an accelerated trial.
Following submissions from both sides, the judge adjourned ruling on the bail application to June 9, 2026.
During the proceedings, EFCC investigator Bufa Regina Okangbe testified as the first prosecution witness, detailing how the Commission allegedly traced a ₦36 million transaction linked to the defendant through bank records, property documents, and witness statements.
She told the court that the EFCC received a petition and subsequently conducted investigations involving bank verification checks, correspondence with financial institutions, and inquiries from the Lagos State Land Bureau and the Corporate Affairs Commission.
According to her testimony, the investigation revealed that the disputed property did not belong to the defendant but to a third party, identified as Tunbosun Osobu.
Okangbe further stated that the petitioner paid a total of ₦36 million in instalments—₦25 million into a GTBank account and ₦11 million into an Access Bank account—purportedly for a property located in Lekki, Lagos.
She also alleged that subsequent transfers were made from the defendant’s accounts to different individuals, including family members and associates.
The defence objected to the admissibility of the defendant’s statements, arguing that they were taken without proper legal representation and without video recording. The prosecution, however, maintained that the statements were lawfully obtained under applicable provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Justice Dipeolu admitted the disputed documents as evidence, ruling that the law allows statements to be taken in the presence of a legal practitioner or other authorised persons chosen by a suspect.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to June 22, 2026, for continuation of trial proceedings after hearing further testimony.
The EFCC is prosecuting Blessing CEO on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and stealing under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
