By Evelyn Usman

Detectives at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbion, Ikoyi, Lagos have disclosed that they had recovered N50 million withdrawn from the hacked bank account of ailing Nollywood actor, Mr John Okafor, popularly called Mr Ibu.

Consequently, Ibu’s son, Onyebuchi Okafor and his lover, Jasmine Okekeagwu, were arrested and changed to court for conspiracy and stealing.

Their arrest, according to spokesperson for the FCID, ASP Mayegun Aminat, followed a petition received from Diamond Waves Law on behalf of Ibu’s wife, Stella Maris Okafor, in September 6, 2023, where Ibu’s sons, Daniel and Valentine Okafor and one of the son’s lover, Jasmine Okekeagwu were alleged to have conspired to defraud Ibu.

According to her, “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 Okafor, took possession of Mr. Ibu’s phone and hacked into the banking details therein.

“They thereafter re-installed the mobile banking applications of Mr. Ibu on the phone of Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor, preparatory to the perfection of their pre-conceived 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 Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu started transferring funds from Mr. Ibu’s public fund raising account to Onyeabuchi Okafor’s personal bank with forensic analysis of their illicit financial dealing establishing that a total of N55 million 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 stage-by-stage how they conspired and hatched their criminal plans.

“It was also established that the two suspects, Jasmine Okekeagwu and Onyeabuchi Okafor had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with plans to escape from the country to the United Kingdom, where they intended to settle with their proceeds of crime.

They already applied for UK Visa in furtherance to this plan prior to their arrest.“During investigation, the stolen N55 million was traced to the bank account of Onyeabuchi Okafor wherein it was discovered that they had squandered a total of N5 million on questionable transactions, while the balance of N50 million has been recovered from him.

“On the strength of evidence, Onyeabuchi Okafor, and Jasmine Okekeagwu have been charged to the Chief Magistrates Court 1, Yaba in Charge No. A/06/2024 for conspiracy and stealing. They were granted bail in the sum of N15 million with two sureties in like sum while case was adjourned to March 11,2024.

“Meanwhile the casefile has been forwarded to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.”