A Nigerian man, Ojo Eghosa Kingsley, has sparked public outrage after choosing to serve a one-year pr@son term rather than refunding ₦272 million, part of a ₦1.5 billion sum mistakenly credited into his bank account by First Bank of Nigeria.
The incident began between June and November 2025, when First Bank reportedly made an error that led to Kingsley’s account being credited with ₦1.5 billion. Instead of alerting the bank or returning the funds, Kingsley allegedly div£rted the money for personal use, triggering investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Following weeks of investigation, Kingsley was arr£sted by EFCC operatives in Benin City, Edo State, and was later @rraigned on January 19, 2026, before the Edo State High Court.
According to court documents, Kingsley was charged with th£ft and fr@ud, offences punishable under the Edo State Cr#minal Law (2022). When the ch@rges were read, the defendant reportedly pleaded gu#lty without hesitation.
During the hearing, Kingsley’s counsel appealed to the court for l£niency, citing his client’s remorse and cooperation with investigators. However, after reviewing the case, the court delivered its verdict.
The presiding judge sentenced Kingsley to one year im#risonment, with an option of a ₦5 million fine, and further ordered him to refund the outstanding balance of ₦272,252,193.59 to First Bank.
Before the judgment was delivered, the EFCC disclosed that it had already recovered ₦802,420,000 from Kingsley’s account, as well as from accounts belonging to his mother and sister. In addition, First Bank successfully reversed transactions totaling over ₦300 million linked to the erroneous transfer.
However, the court was thrown into surprise when Kingsley openly informed the judge that he preferred to serve the pr@son sentence rather than refund the remaining ₦272 million.
His declaration effectively confirmed his decision to choose inc@rceration over repayment, a move that has since sparked widespread reactions and debate across social media platforms.
