The Lagos High Court has acquitted Green Lotto (Brentwood Services) and its former sales manager, Charles Akhenamen, of all criminal charges in a protracted ₦72.7 million lottery fraud case, ending a three-year legal battle that has divided public opinion and exposed gaps in Nigeria’s betting regulations.
Delivering judgment, Justice A.M. Nicol-Clay ruled that the prosecution failed to prove allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and theft brought by businessman Sunday Nwachukwu, who claimed he was denied his rightful winnings after staking ₦330,000 in Green Lotto’s Bonanza game in January 2021.
Nwachukwu had argued that his selected numbers, 26 and 65, won that evening, and even received a congratulatory call from the agent who sold him the ticket, Clement Gregory. But Green Lotto later declared the ticket “fraudulent,” citing its fraud-detection system. Nwachukwu rejected an alleged ₦20 million settlement offer from the company and pursued both criminal and civil actions.
The prosecution maintained that Green Lotto and Akhenamen conspired to deny him his prize. However, the court noted that Akhenamen had no control over payouts or IT systems and was not linked to the ticket cancellation. Justice Nicol-Clay further observed that the company refunded Nwachukwu’s stake, undermining claims of theft.
Central to the trial was Green Lotto’s fraud-detection software, operated from India. Even the company’s IT witness admitted they could not explain why the system flagged the ticket. Critics argue this “black box” system leaves players powerless when disputes arise.
The Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority, which licensed Green Lotto, admitted during proceedings that it lacked authority to resolve the dispute, while federal regulators also failed to act decisively.
The ruling has sparked mixed reactions. Green Lotto’s compliance officer described the matter as a “civil dispute wrongly escalated to criminal court,” while Nwachukwu insisted he had no choice but to seek police intervention after being denied payment.
Although Green Lotto and its manager walked free, Nwachukwu’s civil case remains ongoing—albeit weakened by the lack of a criminal conviction. For industry observers, the verdict underscores an unresolved question: in Nigeria’s booming lottery sector, do the odds truly favor the players, or the house?
