Nigerian woman declared dead by fraudsters appears to claim £350,000 London home
A Nigerian woman, falsely declared dead, shocked a London court by appearing via videolink from Nigeria to prevent a convicted fraudster from seizing her £350,000 home.
June Ashimola, 55, was officially declared deceased in February 2019, sparking a legal battle over her estate.
However, she shocked the High Court when she appeared 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.
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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.
The judge ruled that Lasisi did not exist, and Ashimola had been the victim of an elaborate scam.
Ashimola, who left the UK for Nigeria in 2018, confirmed that she had not died. She stated that a false death certificate had been produced and that a woman had been “masquerading” as her.
“This is an unusual probate claim in that the deceased says she is very much alive,” remarked Deputy Master John Linwood. He ruled in Ashimola’s favour, confirming that Ashikodi had orchestrated the fraud and misled the court.
Despite visa issues preventing her from attending in person, the judge accepted her identity through passport photos and official documents. The ruling nullified the fraudulent claim over her London home, restoring her rightful ownership
One of the most shocking revelations was that Ashimola’s supposed husband, Mr. Lasisi, did not exist. The judge found that the marriage certificate was fabricated, and emails allegedly from Lasisi were false.
“I find that Ms. Ashimola is alive and that the death certificate was forged and/or fraudulently obtained,” stated the judge.
The judge further concluded that Ashikodi and Ms. Samuel were involved in the creation of the fraudulent documents, and revoked the power of attorney granted.
The case had already incurred legal costs of over £150,000, a sum potentially greater than the value of the property itself.
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