Mr Ibu’s son, daughter, arrested for stealing donated funds; Police retrieve N50 million
Mr Ibu and his daughter
Detectives from the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex in Alagbion, Ikoyi, Lagos, have announced the recovery of N50 million that was withdrawn from the compromised bank account of renowned Nollywood actor John Okafor, better known as Mr. Ibu. As a result, Mr. Ibu’s son, Onyebuchi Okafor, and his partner, Jasmine Okekeagwu, have been arrested and charged with conspiracy and theft.
The arrests were made following a petition received from Diamond Waves Law on behalf of Mr. Ibu’s wife, Stella Maris Okafor, on September 6, 2023. The petition alleged that Mr. Ibu’s sons, Daniel and Valentine Okafor, along with Jasmine Okekeagwu, conspired to defraud Mr. Ibu.
According to ASP Mayegun Aminat, the spokesperson for the FCID, the investigation revealed that Mr. Ibu had launched a public fundraising initiative to cover his medical expenses.
Donations were made by his fans, members of the entertainment industry, and other well-meaning individuals into a dedicated bank account that Mr. Ibu had publicized. Initially, Mrs. Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, Mr. Ibu’s wife, managed the funds to support his medical bills and sustain the family.
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However, it was discovered that Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu manipulated Mrs. Stella Maris Okafor, gained possession of Mr. Ibu’s phone, and hacked into his banking details.
They then installed Mr. Ibu’s mobile banking applications on Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor’s phone, wiping off the original applications from Mr. Ibu’s phone. This enabled them to take control of Mr. Ibu’s banking activities related to the funds donated for his medical expenses.
Through their fraudulent actions, Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu began transferring funds from Mr. Ibu’s public fundraising account to Onyeabuchi Okafor’s personal bank account.
Forensic analysis revealed that N55 million had been criminally transferred before their arrest and subsequent investigation. Text messages exchanged via WhatsApp between Jasmine Chioma and Daniel Okafor were also uncovered, detailing the step-by-step process of their conspiracy.
Further investigation revealed that Jasmine Okekeagwu and Onyeabuchi Okafor had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with plans to flee the country to the United Kingdom, where they intended to settle with the proceeds of their crimes. Prior to their arrest, they had already applied for UK visas to facilitate their escape.
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During the investigation, the stolen N55 million was traced to Onyeabuchi Okafor’s bank account. It was discovered that they had squandered N5 million on questionable transactions, while the remaining N50 million was successfully recovered.
On the basis of the evidence, Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu have been charged with conspiracy and theft and have been granted bail in the sum of N15 million, with two sureties providing the same amount. The case has been adjourned to March 11, 2024.
The case file has been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
