According to police investigations, trouble started when Onyeme was approached by one of his killers, to teach him fraud. Onyeme agreed on the condition that the first defendant would hook him up with a girl from his tribe, Hausa.
A deal was struck and Onyeme fulfilled his part, but the first defendant reneged. On the day of the incident, the first defendant went to Onyeme's house, accompanied by the second and third defendants, and there was a verbal quarrel over the unfulfilled promise.
Onyeme was said to have tried to assault him with a knife. The second and third defendants intervened to defend the first defendant. The knife was taken from him and used to stab him. .
They seized his 600 Egyptian pounds, a Playstation device, some other goods and fled. They were later arrested and identified as Luqman Abu Luqman, 23, Khalifa SA, 24, and Anwar AH. 17, all students at the University of Mansoura.