A 55-year-old Nigerian woman, June Ashimola, has won a UK court battle after being falsely declared dead in 2019. She appeared via video link from Nigeria before the UK High Court to reclaim her £350,000 home in Woolwich, southeast London.
Ashimola’s wrongful death declaration led to a power of attorney being granted to Ruth Samuel on behalf of a fictitious husband, Bakare Lasisi, who falsely claimed marriage to her. However, the court found that Lasisi did not exist, and the scheme was orchestrated by convicted fraudster Tony Ashikodi, who had previously served time for deception.
Despite visa challenges preventing her in-person appearance, Ashimola’s identity was verified through passport photographs. The judge ruled that the death certificate was forged as part of a fraudulent attempt to seize her property, officially dismissing all claims against her estat
