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Bexley Council is now set to initiate rigorous debt recovery proceedings following a definitive High Court ruling that seals the fate of a serial deceiver.
The legal saga of Princess Ogheneakpobor Ojeh has reached its definitive conclusion after the Court of Appeal formally dismissed her application to overturn her conviction. This ruling marks the end of a multi-year charade in which Ojeh, a 45-year-old mother of four, exploited the Children Act 1989 to siphon £12,251.38 from local taxpayers. While her legal team had sought to challenge the findings of the initial six-day trial at Woolwich Crown Court, the appellate court found no merit in her claims, effectively validating the council’s internal investigation into her "homeless" status.
The scrutiny now shifts to the inevitable civil action. Having been ordered to pay a mere £2,380 in compensation—a fraction of the total defrauded amount—Ojeh remains under the spotlight as investigators look into her hidden assets to recoup the remaining balance. The public's indignation toward Ojeh stems not just from the financial theft, but from the calculated nature of her lifestyle. While she pleaded poverty to Bexley Council officials in May 2022, she was simultaneously presiding over a sophisticated retail operation. An anonymous tip-off eventually unraveled a web of deceit that included a thriving clothing business managed via PayPal and a spouse earning a comfortable £37,500 salary.
Ojeh’s conduct has been described by observers as a masterclass in manipulation. By navigating the complexities of the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition, she targeted the specific legislative loophole designed to protect vulnerable children. However, a police raid in August 2022 exposed the reality of her "destitution." Officers discovered rooms and external sheds overflowing with thousands of pounds worth of inventory. Further investigations into her personal life revealed a shadow history involving a marriage to a Dutch national, used primarily as a vehicle for illicit tax credit claims.
The next phase of this case involves the Home Office, as Ojeh’s immigration status—the very thing she used to justify her initial claim for support—comes under renewed review following her criminal conviction. Legal experts suggest that the rejection of her appeal significantly narrows her path to remaining in the United Kingdom. Local authorities have signaled that this case serves as a precedent for a more aggressive stance against NRPF fraud, ensuring that genuine families in need are not sidelined by opportunistic fraudsters.
"This was a deliberate and cynical attempt to exploit a system meant for the most vulnerable," a spokesperson told journalists during the proceedings. With her curfew currently in effect and her rehabilitation requirements ongoing, Ojeh remains a figure of intense public criticism for her role in undermining the integrity of London’s social safety net.
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