Lagos high court clears Green Lotto of ₦72.7 million lottery dispute
Green Lotto reportedly offered ₦20 million to settle the matter, but Nwachukwu refused, leading the state to file criminal charges against the company after negotiations stalled.
Nigeria.- Green Lotto (Brentwood Service) and its former sales manager, Charles Akhenamen, have been cleared of all criminal charges by the Lagos High Court in connection with a ₦72.7 million (€40,553) lottery dispute. The verdict, delivered by Justice A.M. Nicol Clay on August 14, 2025, marks a major turning point in the three-year legal dispute.
The case originated in January 2021 when businessman Sunday Nwachukwu staked ₦330,000 (€184) on numbers 26 and 65 in Green Lotto’s Bonanza game through an agent. After his numbers won, the company’s automated fraud-detection system flagged the ticket as suspicious, leading to its cancellation and a refund of the stake.
However, Nwachukwu rejected the decision, claiming that the win was legitimate and the cancellation was unjustified. When his attempts to resolve the issue at Green Lotto’s office failed, he made reports at several police stations before escalating the matter to the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority for intervention.
Green Lotto reportedly offered ₦20 million (€11,156) to settle the matter, but Nwachukwu refused, leading the state to file criminal charges against the company after negotiations stalled. The prosecution’s claims included conspiracy to withhold Nwachukwu’s winnings, obtaining money by deception and prize theft. However, all these allegations failed to hold up to judicial examination.
The court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish Akhenamen’s presence at the scene when the ticket was cancelled, and his role as sales manager didn’t grant him control over payouts or IT systems.
The judge also determined that there was no evidence of fraudulent activity, as the company had not misled Nwachukwu into participating. The company’s terms and conditions clearly outlined its right to cancel suspicious tickets, and the refund of the ₦330,000 stake supported the conclusion that no theft had occurred.
Justice Clay concluded that the allegation of stealing ₦72.7 million was unfounded, as the sum was only a potential prize and not actual funds belonging to Nwachukwu, and therefore, could not be considered stolen.
While the High Court ruling has exonerated Green Lotto from the criminal charges, the civil component of the case is still pending, subject to Nwachukwu’s further action. However, this verdict is a likely indication of what the outcome of any further legal challenge could be, given the court’s assessment of the case’s merits.
