A London-based Nigerian woman, Cynthia Chia, has been ordered by a UK High Court to pay £25,000 in damages for falsely accusing a Nigerian-born businessman, Idowu Ogunkanmi, of rape and subjecting him to a sustained nine-year campaign of harassment and defamation.
The court described Chia’s actions as “horrific and malicious,” after it was revealed that her allegations were entirely fabricated and aimed at destroying Ogunkanmi’s personal and professional life.
Ogunkanmi, a 44-year-old father of three and Dubai-based energy trader, met Chia only once in 2015 during a night out at Steam Bar in the Hilton Hotel, Paddington, London. According to court records, the pair spent the night together but parted ways amicably the next day.
However, what began as a consensual one-night stand quickly escalated into a prolonged nightmare for the businessman.
By early 2016, Chia began demanding money, allegedly threatening to ruin Ogunkanmi’s life if he failed to comply. She accused him of sleeping with her friend and inundated his office with harassing phone calls—over 100 in a single day at one point. He was forced to involve the Metropolitan Police.
She was arrested in June 2016 and barred from contacting him. Despite this, Chia continued her harassment campaign, threatening his associates and later falsely reporting to UK police that she had been raped by Ogunkanmi—a claim that was eventually dropped after he voluntarily returned to London in 2017 for questioning. The police found no evidence to support her claims and declared that no further action would be taken.
In addition to the rape allegation, Chia made numerous slanderous statements online, branding Ogunkanmi a “rapist,” alleging he had drugged her, impregnated her, molested her child, and bribed law enforcement and medical personnel to cover up his alleged crimes.
Despite failing to appear in court or obtain legal representation, Chia was convicted of harassment and libel. The judge ruled in favor of Ogunkanmi, awarding him £25,000 in damages.
The case has drawn attention to the devastating impact of false accusations, especially those shared and amplified on social media, with the court emphasizing the psychological and reputational toll on the victim.
