Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal Government has formally charged one Mr. Sylvanus Enonche Okoh, also known as “General Kenneth Ogbogu,” before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Apo in Abuja over allegations of a brazen scheme to impersonate a deceased businessman and fraudulently obtain valuable property documents.
The case, filed in the Abuja Judicial Division of the FCT High Court Apo lists multiple counts of criminal conduct including making false statements to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and cheating by personation.
According to the charges, the defendant in 2022 falsely claimed to be the late Mr. Kenneth Ogbogu—a man widely known to have died and been buried—by assuming his identity and using it in official dealings.
COUNT ONE of the charge sheet alleges that Sylvanus Enonche Okoh, in an attempt to mislead anti-graft investigators, knowingly made false statements to an EFCC officer in the course of the officer’s official duties. Prosecutors claim the defendant did so with full knowledge that the statements were untrue, in a bid to obstruct or derail the investigation into his activities.
This alleged offence is said to contravene Section 39(2)(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, and is punishable under Section 39(2)(b) of the same law.
COUNT TWO accuses Okoh of cheating by personation—specifically, of misrepresenting himself as “General Kenneth Ogbogu” in order to fraudulently obtain title documents for a parcel of land described as Plot No. 1, Cadastral Zone 7, Sabo Gida District, Abuja.
According to the prosecution, the defendant presented himself as the deceased businessman and used the name and style of K.E. Keneco Nigeria Limited—a company formerly owned by the late Kenneth Ogbogu—in a deliberate attempt to seize control of the property.
The charges highlight the seriousness of the alleged fraud, suggesting a calculated effort to exploit the identity of a dead man to steal valuable assets, including real estate in Abuja’s lucrative property market.
The Federal Government argues that such schemes do not only victimize grieving families but also undermine public trust in legal, financial, and land registration systems.
The case has generated public interest after civil society groups last week issued a strongly worded statement accusing Okoh of “desecrating the memory of the dead” by forging corporate records, colluding with corrupt insiders, and plunging the late Ogbogu’s elderly parents into “protracted emotional trauma.”
In their statement, the coalition described the alleged impersonation as “a grave assault on the integrity of Nigeria’s legal and corporate governance systems,” and demanded swift and transparent prosecution of all those involved.
Meanwhile, EFCC investigators are said to have been building their case for months, examining records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) where the defendant allegedly attempted to alter corporate and land ownership records.
Legal analysts say the case may set an important precedent about identity theft and fraud in Nigeria’s real estate and corporate sectors, where corrupt insiders have been repeatedly accused of enabling scams by forging documents and subverting due process.
However, the court granted him bail but still in the EFCC custody till bail is perfected. Nonetheless, our correspondent gathered that Mr Sylvanus Okoh is not yet set for any break soon as other victims are said to be pursuing Justice on separate matter involving him.The matter which is already scheduled to proceed before the FCT High Court in Abuja, with prosecutors pledging to present detailed evidence of how the alleged impersonation was carried out.
If convicted, Mr. Okoh faces significant prison terms under existing Nigerian anti-fraud laws.
Authorities say they hope the case will send a strong message that crimes exploiting the dead will not go unpunished.
Middle-Belt Times 