The Federal Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, Lagos has arrested Onyeabuchi Okafor, son of popular Nollywood actor, John Okafor, professionally known as Mr Ibu, for alleged N50 million fraud against the actor.
He was arrested alongside Jasmine Okekeagwu, the comic actor’s adopted daughter for the alleged fraud.
The Department’s Public Relations Officer, Aminat Mayegun, confirmed the arrest on Thursday in a statement.
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Mayegun, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, alleged that the actor’s son and the woman conspired and defrauded the actor of N50 million donated for his medical treatment.
She said the department had also recovered the said amount allegedly stolen from the actor’s medical fundraising bank account.
The image maker said that on September 6, 2023, the defendant received a petition from Diamond Waves Law, on behalf of Stella-Maris Okafor, the actor’s wife, alleging the fraud.
According to the official, investigation into the case established that as part of efforts to fund the actor’s medical bills, he launched a public fund-raising initiative and attracted donations from many people of goodwill into a designated account.
Mayegun said the wife was initially managing the funds to defray the medical bills of her husband and sustain their family.
She added: “However, along the line, the duo of Onyeabuchi Okafor and Jasmine Okekeagwu manipulated Mrs Okafor, took possession of the actor’s phone and hacked into the banking details.
“They, thereafter, re-installed the mobile banking applications of the actor on the phone of Onyeabuchi Okafor preparatory to the perfection of their preconceived fraudulent plans, and wiped off the banking applications originally installed on the actor’s phone.
“They, thereby, took direct and full charge of banking activities of the actor in relation to the funds being donated by members of the public in support of his medical care.”
Mayegu added that through the alleged fraudulent act, Onyeabuchi and Okekeagwu started transferring funds from the actor’s public fund-raising account to Onyeabuchi’s personal bank account.
She alleged that forensic analysis of the duo’s illicit financial dealings established that a total N50 million was successfully and criminally transferred from the account before their arrest.
The spokesperson said that investigation also revealed messages, via WhatsApp, between Onyeabuchi and Okekeagwu detailing, stage-by-stage, how they allegedly conspired and committed the fraud.
She added: “It was also established that the two suspects, Jasmine and Onyeabuchi, had a sham marriage at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry, with plans to escape from the country to the UK, 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 N50 million was traced to the bank account of Onyeabuchi.
“It was discovered that they had squandered a total of N5 million on questionable transactions, while the balance N50 million was recovered from him.”
The official said that the suspects were charged to court on Thursday.
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