Mr Ibu’s children arrested for allegedly stealing money donated for his surgery

A biological son and adopted daughter of Nollywood Actor, Mr Ibu have been arrested as they have been busted for stealing their father’s money of about $60,700.

Their intention of allegedly stealing the money was to ‘jappa’ (leave the country – Nigeria) to a foreign land for greener pastures.

Detectives at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex in Alagbion, Ikoyi, Lagos, have reported the recovery of N50 million withdrawn from the hacked bank account of Nollywood Actor John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu.

Subsequently, Mr. Ibu’s son, Onyebuchi Okafor, and his partner, Jasmine Okekeagwu, were arrested and charged with conspiracy and stealing.

The arrest followed a petition received on September 6, 2023, from Diamond Waves Law, representing Ibu’s wife, Stella Maris Okafor. The petition alleged that Ibu’s sons, Daniel and Valentine Okafor, along with Jasmine Okekeagwu, conspired to defraud Mr. Ibu.

According to ASP Mayegun Aminat, the spokesperson for the FCID, Mr. Ibu initiated a public fundraising initiative to cover his medical bills, with his wife initially managing the funds. However, Daniel Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu allegedly manipulated Mrs. Stella Maris Okafor, gained control of Mr. Ibu’s phone, and hacked into his banking details.

They re-installed the mobile banking applications on Onyeabuchi Daniel Okafor’s phone, wiping off the original applications on Mr. Ibu’s phone. This gave them control over the funds donated by the public for Mr. Ibu’s medical expenses. Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu reportedly transferred N55 million from Mr. Ibu’s public fundraising account to Onyeabuchi Okafor’s personal bank.

According to vanguardngr.com, Evidence from forensic analysis and WhatsApp messages revealed the detailed planning of their fraudulent activities. The suspects also had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry and planned to escape to the United Kingdom with their ill-gotten gains. They had applied for a UK visa before their arrest.

During the investigation, N5 million of the stolen funds was traced to questionable transactions, while the remaining N50 million was recovered from Onyeabuchi Okafor. The suspects were charged at the Chief Magistrates Court 1, Yaba, and were granted bail of N15 million with two sureties.

The case was adjourned to March 11, 2024, and the case file has been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

However, Mr Ibu has returned home and is recovering from his amputation surgery.

Over the weekend, Nollywood actor Ken Erics paid a visit to the Nollywood actor, who recently returned home after an extended period in the hospital.

In October 2023, Mr Ibu revealed that he was facing a life-threatening illness, making a plea for financial assistance from his hospital bed.

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