Police recover N50m stolen from Mr Ibu, charge son, lover to court

The Nigerian Police, through its Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCID) in Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos State, has officially verified the apprehension of Oyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, the son of renowned comic actor John Okafor, also known as Mr. Ibu, along with Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu, his adopted daughter. The arrest is in connection with an alleged conspiracy to defraud the actor of a sum totaling N55 million.

A press statement issued on Thursday, January 25, revealed that the FCID took action based on a petition submitted by Diamond Waves Law on behalf of the actor’s wife, Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor. The petition asserted that two of Mr. Ibu’s sons, including Oyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, and his adopted daughter, Jasmine, collaborated in a fraudulent scheme against their father. According to ASP Mayegun Aminat, the FCID Spokesperson, the suspects reinstalled the banking app on Okafor’s phone and transferred N55 million from funds intended for the actor’s medical expenses.

The police further disclosed that Oyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine had engaged in a fabricated marriage at the Ikoyi registry and had applied for visas to exit the country. The FCID, noting the recovery of N50 million from the suspects, informed that both individuals have been formally charged at the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Yaba, under Charge No. A/06/2024 for the offenses of conspiracy and theft.

The statement reads; “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.

“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.

“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.”