Detectives at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex in Alagbion, Ikoyi, Lagos, have made a significant breakthrough by successfully recovering N50 million believed to have been illicitly withdrawn from the bank account of Nollywood actor Mr. John Okafor, widely known as Mr. Ibu.
This development comes on the heels of the arrest of Mr. Ibu’s son, Onyebuchi Okafor, and his partner, Jasmine Okekeagwu, who now face charges of conspiracy and theft. The FCID’s swift action was prompted by a petition submitted by Diamond Waves Law on behalf of Mr. Ibu’s wife, Stella Maris Okafor, dated September 6, 2023.
The petition alleged that Mr. Ibu’s sons, Daniel and Valentine Okafor, along with Jasmine Okekeagwu, conspired to defraud Mr. Ibu. Subsequent investigations revealed that, as part of an initiative to fund Mr. Ibu’s medical bills, a public fundraising campaign was initiated, attracting donations from fans, industry players, and the public. While initially managed by Mrs. Stella Maris Okafor, the funds for medical bills and family support were allegedly manipulated by Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu. They gained access to Mr. Ibu’s phone, hacked into his banking details, and initiated fraudulent transfers from the public fundraising account to Daniel Okafor’s personal bank account.
The total amount criminally transferred reached N55 million before the arrest. Forensic analysis traced the stolen funds to Onyeabuchi Okafor’s account, revealing that N5 million had been spent on questionable transactions, while the remaining N50 million was successfully recovered.
Further investigations unveiled that Jasmine Okekeagwu and Onyeabuchi Okafor had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with plans to escape to the United Kingdom, intending to settle there with the proceeds of their crime. They had already applied for a UK Visa as part of their plan before being apprehended.
The investigation also brought to light text messages via WhatsApp between Jasmine Chioma and Daniel Okafor, detailing the stages of their criminal conspiracy. Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu have been charged at Chief Magistrates Court 1, Yaba, with the case adjourned to March 11, 2024. Both were granted bail in the sum of N15 million with two sureties in like sum. The case file has been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.