In a striking case of alleged police misconduct, a New Jersey man claims he was maliciously prosecuted and wrongfully imprisoned due to fabricated evidence by local law enforcement officers. Eric Obuygyei filed a complaint on February 17, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Officer Forrod Bonsu, Officer Michael Koenig, and the City of Hackensack.
The lawsuit accuses Officers Bonsu and Koenig of violating Obuygyei’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by engaging in malicious prosecution and fabricating evidence. According to the complaint, Obuygyei was involved with Jocelyn DeGroat, who ran an illegal brothel in Hackensack where drugs and firearms were sold. The plaintiff alleges that both officers provided protection for this operation while also profiting from its illegal activities. When Obuygyei threatened to report these activities after ending his relationship with DeGroat, he claims the officers retaliated by falsely accusing him of making terroristic threats and harassment.
Obuygyei was arrested on April 25, 2023, based on what he asserts were false reports made by Bonsu and Koenig. He remained incarcerated until his trial concluded on April 8, 2025, when a jury found him not guilty of all charges. The plaintiff argues that the arrest and subsequent legal proceedings were part of a broader pattern of corruption within the Hackensack Police Department. He cites numerous past incidents involving police misconduct in Hackensack as evidence of systemic issues within the department.
The complaint further details how Bonsu and Koenig allegedly manipulated evidence against Obuygyei. This includes altering bodycam footage to support their false narrative and destroying documents that could have exonerated him. The plaintiff also points out inconsistencies in video footage from his interrogation that suggest tampering.
Obuygyei seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress and economic loss resulting from his wrongful imprisonment. Additionally, he requests punitive damages against the individual defendants to deter future misconduct. The suit calls for reimbursement of legal fees under federal statutes allowing such awards in civil rights cases.
Representing Obuygyei is attorney Stephen T. O’Hanlon from O’Hanlon Schwartz P.C., while no specific defense attorneys are named yet for Bonsu or Koenig. The case is being overseen by judges at the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey under Case ID 2:26-cv-01564.
Source: 226cv01564_Obuygyei_v_Officer_Forrod_Bonsu_Complaint_District_New_Jersey.pdf