Police arrest Mr Ibu’s son, adopted daughter for stealing N55m from ailing actor’s donations

The Nigerian Police, through its Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCID), Alagbon, in Ikoyi, Lagos State, have disclosed the arrest of Oyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu for conspiring and defrauding Mr. John Ikechukwu Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu of the sum of N55 million.

Tribune Online reports that the family of the ailing veteran actor, in October 2023, revealed that the actor had undergone five surgeries, seeking for further treatment abroad and appreciating donations from the actor’s fans. 

But the FCID in a press release on Thursday, disclosed that the department acted on a petition received from Diamond Waves Law on behalf of the actor’s wife, Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, alleging that two sons of Mr. Ibu conspired with his adopted daughter, Jasmine, to defraud their father.

“On 6th September, 2023, a petition was received from Diamond Waves Law on behalf of Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor wherein one Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, Valentine Okafor, both of whom are sons of Mr. John Ikechukwu Okafor (Alias Ibu) and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu were alleged to have conspired to defraud Mr. Ibu while being on sick bed.

“Investigation into the case established that as part of efforts to fund his medical bills, Mr. Ibu launched a public fund-raising initiative and attracted donations from his fans, entertainment industry players, and other well-spirited members of the public into a bank account which he publicized and dedicated for the purpose. Mr. Ibu’s wife, Mrs Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor was initially managing the funds to defray the medical bills of Mr. Ibu and sustain the family. However, along the line, the duo of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu manipulated Mrs Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, took possession of Mr. Ibu’s phone, and hacked into the banking details therein,” the Police said.

Continuing, the FCID Spokesperson, ASP Mayegun Aminat, explained how the duo reinstalled the banking app on the phone belonging to Okafor and transferred the sum of N55m from the donations for the actor’s medical bill. According to the Police, the duo Okafor and Jasmine already had a sham marriage at Ikoyi registry, and had applied for visas to leave the country.

“They thereafter re-installed the mobile banking applications of Mr. Ibu on the phone of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor preparatory to the perfection of their preconceived fraudulent plans and wiped off the banking applications originally installed on Mr. Ibu’s phone, thereby, taking direct and full charge of banking activities of Mr. Ibu in relation to the funds being donated by members of the public in support of his medicals.

“Through this fraudulent act, Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu started transferring funds from Mr. Ibu’s public fundraising account to Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor’s personal bank with forensic analysis of their illicit financial dealing establishing that a total of fifty five million naira (=N=55M) has been successfully and criminally transferred prior to their arrest and investigation.

“Investigation also unearthed text messages via WhatsApp between Jasmine Chioma and Daniel Okafor detailing in stage-by-stage how they conspired and hatched their criminal plans. It was also established that the two suspects, Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu and Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with plans to escape from the country to UK where they intended to settle with their proceeds of crime. They already applied for a UK Visa in furtherance to this plan prior to their arrest,” the statement added.

The FCID, while stating that a sum of N50 million has been recovered from the suspects, added that they have both been charged at the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Yaba in Charge No. A/06/2024 for conspiracy and stealing.

The statement added, “During investigation, the stolen fifty-five million naira (=N=55M) was traced to the Bank Account of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor wherein it was discovered that they had squandered a total of five million naira (=N=5M) on questionable transactions, while the balance total of fifty million (=N=50M) has been recovered from him.

“On the strength of evidence, Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu have been charged to the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Yaba in Charge No. A/06/2024 for conspiracy and stealing. They were granted bail in the sum of =N= 15m with two sureties in like sum while case was adjourned to 11th March, 2024. Meanwhile the casefile has been forwarded to the Office of Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.”