For falsely accusing Dubai-based Nigerian businessman, Mr. Idowu Ogunkanmi, of rape, a London-based Nigerian woman, Ms Cynthia Chia, has been ordered by a UK High Court to pay £25,000 in damages to Mr. Ogunkanmi.
Ms Cynthia, who did not attend court or go through a lawyer, was convicted of harassment and libel, devoting years to spreading slander online, referring to Ogunkanmi as a “rapist,” claiming he had spiked her and fallen in love with her, impregnated her, molested her child, and even bribed police officers and hospital staff to cover up the alleged offense.
The two, Ms. Cynthia and Mr. Ogunkanmi, had a one-night stand in 2015 at one of the Hilton Hotel, Paddington clubs. They parted after a night in Mr. Ogunkanmi’s hotel room and went their separate ways the following day.
However, what was supposed to be one evening of adult playtime became a nightmare as by January 2016, Ms. Cynthia started demanding money, asserting that Ogunkanmi had slept with her friend and would ruin his life if he did not pay her some.
She is said to have called Ogunkanmi’s office over 100 times in a day at one point, and Mr. Ogunkanmi had to threaten her with the Metropolitan Police, who arrested her in June 2016 and told her to have no contact with him.
Within weeks, however, Ms Cynthia was accused of breaching the order by threatening another of his colleagues that Ogunkanmi would ”spend the rest of his life in jail.”
The court heard that from 2018 through 2022, Ms Cynthia built numerous Instagram accounts, taking the names @cindylicious11 and @rapist_trying_to_avoid_justice, successively posting his photograph, name, and rape accusations. She also brought her crusade to X (formerly Twitter), referring to the Met Police, Dubai Police, and the National Crime Agency, accusing them of raping, drugging, and corrupting officials.
Ms Cynthia also accused Mr. Ogunkanmi of molesting her child, and in her December 31, 2021, New Year’s announcement, she claimed that he drugged, raped, and got her pregnant.
None of her claims was, however, ruled true by the court.
The judge described her claim as a “horrific and malicious” smear campaign that was all based on fabrication.
Mr. Ogunkanmi acknowledged that he had paid her £250 initially, thinking she wanted to cover a phone bill, but claimed things took off quickly.
Apart from the civil judgment, Ms. Cynthia was earlier sentenced to 10 weeks in jail and a five-year restraining order for physically assaulting the friend who introduced them, Prisca Okoye.
High Court Judge Susie Alegre ruled in favour of Mr. Ogunkanmi, awarding him £25,000 in damages and an injunction to prevent Ms Cynthia from further attacking him.
Although Mr. Ogunkanmi originally requested £120,000, the court invoked limited evidence of reputational harm in the UK and relatively superficial online penetration as grounds for awarding the lesser sum.
“You can lose your family, job, and life through false claims. Social media companies need to do better,” Mr. Ogunkanmi said while describing himself as relieved.
