Man Chooses Prison Over Refunding Money Mistakenly Paid Into His Account
A Nigerian man, identified as Ojo (Ogo) Eghosa Kingsley, has sparked widespread public reaction after reportedly choosing to serve a one-year prison sentence rather than refund money mistakenly paid into his bank account.
According to reports shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user @arhermadd, Kingsley’s First Bank account was erroneously credited with ₦1.5 billion between June and November 2025. Instead of reporting the error, he allegedly diverted the funds for personal use.
The case was taken up by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which arrested Kingsley in Benin City and arraigned him before the Edo State High Court on January 19, 2026. He was charged with theft and fraud under the Edo State Criminal Law (2022) and reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges.
Before judgment was delivered, the EFCC recovered ₦802.42 million from Kingsley’s account and those of his mother and sister. In addition, First Bank successfully reversed transactions amounting to over ₦300 million, bringing the total recovered sum to more than ₦1.1 billion.
Following his guilty plea, the court ordered Kingsley to refund the outstanding balance of ₦272,252,193.59 to First Bank. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Kingsley reportedly informed the court that he preferred to serve a one-year prison sentence rather than repay the remaining amount.
His decision has since generated intense debate online, with many Nigerians expressing shock and disbelief over his choice to opt for incarceration instead of refunding the money.
