Authorities successfully retrieve N50 million stolen from Mr. Ibu; subsequently, his son and lover face charges in court.
in

Authorities successfully retrieve N50 million stolen from Mr. Ibu; subsequently, his son and lover face charges in court.

Detectives from the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, situated in Alagbion, Ikoyi, Lagos, have successfully recovered a sum of N50 million reportedly withdrawn from the compromised bank account of the ailing Nollywood star, Mr. John Okafor, widely recognized as Mr. Ibu.

This development resulted in the apprehension of Mr. Ibu’s son, Onyebuchi Okafor, and his partner, Jasmine Okekeagwu. The duo has since been charged to court on counts of conspiracy and theft.

According to ASP Mayegun Aminat, the spokesperson for the FCID, the arrests came following a formal complaint lodged by Diamond Waves Law, acting on behalf of Mr. Ibu’s spouse, Stella Maris Okafor, on September 6, 2023.

The petition accused Mr. Ibu’s sons, Daniel and Valentine Okafor, alongside Jasmine Okekeagwu, of colluding to defraud Mr. Ibu. Subsequent investigations uncovered that, in a bid to cover Mr. Ibu’s medical expenses, he had initiated a public fundraising campaign, which garnered contributions from fans, members of the entertainment industry, and the general public.

“Initially, Mrs. Stella Maris Chinyere Okafor, the wife of Mr. Ibu, managed the finances for medical expenses and family support.

However, allegations surfaced that Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Chioma Okekeagwu manipulated Mrs. Stella Maris Okafor, gaining unauthorized access to Mr. Ibu’s phone and breaching his banking details,” Aminat revealed.

She elaborated that the pair seized control of Mr. Ibu’s mobile banking apps, deleting the original ones and installing new ones on Daniel Okafor’s device, consequently executing fraudulent transfers from the public fundraising account to Daniel Okafor’s personal bank account.

A total of N55 million was illicitly transferred before their apprehension.

She further disclosed that forensic analysis traced the misappropriated funds to Onyeabuchi Okafor’s account, where N5 million was found to have been spent on questionable transactions, while the remaining N50 million was successfully recovered.

Following investigations, it was discovered that Jasmine Okekeagwu and Onyeabuchi Okafor orchestrated a fraudulent marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with the intention of fleeing to the United Kingdom to settle there using illicit gains.

Prior to their apprehension, they had already submitted a UK visa application as part of their escape plan. Further scrutiny revealed incriminating WhatsApp exchanges between Jasmine Chioma and Daniel Okafor, outlining the step-by-step execution of their unlawful schemes.

The duo, Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu, have been formally charged at Chief Magistrates Court 1 in Yaba, with the trial adjourned until March 11, 2024. Bail was granted, set at N15 million each, along with two sureties of equal value.

The case file has been referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal guidance.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Loading…

Govt, Labour minimum wage talks for March

Govt, Labour minimum wage talks for March

Fela used to send his PA to buy ice cream, sweet in London – Seun Kuti

Fela used to send his PA to buy ice cream, sweet in London – Seun Kuti