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Nigerian ‘Dead Woman’ Appears In Court To Reclaim £350k London Home From Scammer
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A Nigerian woman falsely declared dead has appeared in court via videolink from Nigeria to stop a convicted fraudster from seizing her £350,000 London home.
June Ashimola, 55, was officially recorded as having died in February 2019, sparking a long-running legal battle over her estate.
However, she stunned the High Court by appearing before Deputy Master John Linwood to prove she was very much alive.
The court heard that Power of Attorney over her estate had been fraudulently granted to associates of Tony Ashikodi, a convicted fraudster.
In 2022, control of the estate was transferred to a Ms. Ruth Samuel on behalf of one “Mr. Bakare Lasisi,” who claimed to have married Ashimola in 1993.
However, the judge ruled that Lasisi did not even exist and that Ashimola had been the victim of an elaborate scam.
Ashimola, who left the UK for Nigeria in 2018 and had not returned, told the court that claims of her death were fabricated.
A false death certificate had been produced, and there were even allegations that a woman had been “masquerading” as her.
“This is an unusual probate claim in that the deceased says she is very much alive,” Deputy Master Linwood remarked.
He ruled in Ashimola’s favor, concluding that Ashikodi had orchestrated the fraud and attempted to mislead the court.
Despite visa issues preventing her from attending in person, the judge accepted Ashimola’s identity, confirming her with passport photos.
The ruling effectively revokes the fraudulent claim over her London home, restoring her rightful ownership.
According to the Daily Mail, one of the most startling revelations in the case was that Ms. Ashimola’s supposed husband, Mr. Lasisi, did not actually exist—despite multiple emails allegedly sent by him.
“I find that Ms. Ashimola is alive and that the death certificate was forged and/or fraudulently obtained, produced, or fabricated,” the judge stated.
He further ruled that her alleged death was part of Mr. Tony Ashikodi’s scheme to seize control of the property from her.
“The person who appeared before me and identified herself as Ms. Ashimola bore a strong physical resemblance to the photographs in her passports,” he noted.
The judge also determined that Ms. Ashimola was never married to Mr. Lasisi and that the marriage certificate was a fraudulent or fabricated document.
“I do not accept that Mr. Lasisi exists—or, if he does, that he was aware his identity was being used. I also do not accept that the emails purportedly from him were actually sent by him,” he stated.
He found that the probate power of attorney, supposedly issued by Mr. Lasisi and Ms. Samuel, was fraudulent.
“The death certificate was not proven to the required standard, as only a copy was presented with no known provenance. There was no evidence before me that it was a genuine document representing a real event. I find it was forged and/or fraudulently produced. Those who relied on it—Mr. Tony Ashikodi and Ms. Samuel—were either directly involved in its creation or knew it was false,” he concluded.
As a result of these findings, Deputy Master Linwood revoked the grant related to the power of attorney.
The court also heard that the legal battle had already resulted in “disproportionate” costs exceeding £150,000—an amount that might surpass the property’s equity.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the Nigerian judiciary to ensure the delivery of fair and timely justice, warning that a compromised legal system poses a threat to democratic stability.
The president made the call on Monday during the commissioning of the Court of Appeal Abuja Division building complex in Dakibiyu, Abuja.
The development was disclosed in a statement posted on the official page of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented the President at the event.
According to the statement, Tinubu expressed concern over delays in the administration of justice and the growing frustration among citizens over prolonged court cases and case backlogs.
He said the justice system must remain accessible, fair and efficient to sustain public confidence in the judiciary.
“To my Lords Justices, as you move into this complex, Nigeria asks one thing of you: let justice be swift. Let it be fair. Let it be blind to status, tribe, or purse. Let the common man feel that this Court is truly his last hope,” Tinubu said.
The president stated that the newly commissioned Court of Appeal complex reflects his administration’s commitment to strengthening the justice sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, providing a befitting working environment for judicial officers remains part of efforts to improve the effectiveness of the nation’s justice system.
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Monday adjourned the trial of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai to June 24, 2026, following the failure of two co-defendants to appear before the court.
El-Rufai, who is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of abuse of office, financial impropriety, and fraud during his tenure as governor, was present in court when the matter was called.
The former governor arrived at the court premises at about 9:30 a.m., accompanied by officials of the ICPC, as well as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
However, proceedings could not continue as scheduled after two other defendants named in the charge failed to appear before the court.
Following submissions by counsel, the presiding judge adjourned the matter to June 24, 2026, for the continuation of the hearing.
El-Rufai has consistently denied all allegations levelled against him, insisting that all actions taken during his administration were carried out in accordance with the law and established procedures.
The ICPC, on its part, alleges that public funds were released for projects that were either not executed or were improperly handled during the former governor’s administration.
The anti-corruption agency maintains that the charges against the defendants are supported by evidence gathered during its investigations and has expressed readiness to prosecute the case to its logical conclusion.
At previous sittings, the court had entertained arguments relating to bail conditions and preliminary applications filed by the defence team.
Monday’s proceedings were expected to feature further arguments on pending motions before the unexpected absence of the two co-defendants stalled the hearing.
The trial has continued to attract considerable public attention, given El-Rufai’s prominence in national politics and his eight-year tenure as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
With the matter now adjourned, both the prosecution and defence teams are expected to return to court on June 24 for the continuation of proceedings.
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, ahead of the 2027 polls, Peter Obi, has condemned in very strong terms the order given by the Federal High Court in Abuja that the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other parties should be deregistered for failing to meet constitutional requirements.
The former Anambra State governor, who took a swipe at the pronouncement, warned that the nation’s sacred institutions must not be sacrificed on the altar of politics.
Reacting to the Federal High Court ruling on Monday deregistering some political parties, including ADC, Obi remarked that the nation rises when institutions are stronger and not when they’re politicised.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled Monday that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, must deregister ADC, Accord, Action Alliance, AA, Action Peoples Party, APP, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, after they failed to secure 25% of votes in the last general elections.
Writing on his X handle, the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate said, “When the controversy surrounding the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, unfolded, I expressed a concern to a friend: that the greatest damage might not be immediate, but the message it sends about the sanctity and independence of our institutions to the world.”
“Strong economies are built on trust. Investors can manage security risks, policy risks, and even market risks. What they fear most is uncertainty in the rule of law and a judiciary that is perceived to be vulnerable to political pressure.
“Today, many Nigerians have lost confidence in systems that should protect them. Businesses increasingly request that their contracts be governed by foreign jurisdictions because they have greater confidence in those institutions than in our own. That should concern every patriot.
“We must never sacrifice our sacred institutions on the altar of politics. Nations rise when institutions are stronger than individuals. The Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the ADC and other political parties is just one of those activities that further reduces the common man’s trust in our legal systems; it should be reversed.
“I pledge that we will restore the dignity, independence, and integrity of the judiciary. The common man must have a voice. The business community must be protected from legal uncertainty and intimidation. Justice must be impartial, accessible, and respected by all.
“To our judges, legal luminaries, senior advocates, and lawyers: this is your moment. Rise, defend the rule of law, take back your country! A new Nigeria is possible.”
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