EFCC Re-arraigns Dokpesi for N2.1bn Fraud

Hamilton Nwosa
Writer

Ad

The Gift of Hindsight: What I Would Tell My Younger Self, By Johnson Babalola

By Johnson Babalola @jbdlaw Hindsight, they say, is life’s most generous teacher—but it sends its lessons late. It is only after the storms that the patterns become clear; only after the wrong turns that the map begins to make sense. As I celebrate another birthday today and have grown older, I often find myself reflecting…

Gasoline Prices Drop Toward Pandemic-Era Lows

The national average price of gasoline dropped below $3 a gallon over the weekend. GasBuddy has predicted that prices will go even lower in the coming weeks, with good prospects of motorists enjoying sub-$3 prices for extended periods. This drop is overwhelmingly being driven by the significant increase in oil production from OPEC throughout 2025.…

Alleged Christian Genocide Claim is Damaging Nigeria’s Image– Tuggar Laments

By Abiola Olawale Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has voiced concern over what he described as the damaging impact of the "Christian genocide" narrative on Nigeria's international image. This is as the Minister claimed that the country's complex security challenges are being falsely simplified as religious persecution. Speaking at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit…

Ad

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 re-arraigned Chief Raymond Dokpesi, former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc, before Justice Tsoho, of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust to the tune of N2.1 billion.

His re-arraignment follows the reassignment of the case file by Justice Ibrahim Auta, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, from Justice Gabriel Kolawole to the new judge.

Dokpesi, who was arraigned alongside his firm DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower is alleged to have received N2.1billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, between October 2014 and March 2015, which was used for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential media campaign, an offence in breach of provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the EFCC Establishment Act.

One of the counts reads:
“That you Dr. Raymond Dokpesi and Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited between October 2014 and March 19, 2015 in Abuja, conducted procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt act, to wit: receipt of payment into the account of Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited with First Bank of Nigeria Plc of public funds in the sum of N2,120,000,000 from the account of the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the funding of media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (6) & (7) of the
same Act”.

He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

The defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on the same terms and conditions earlier granted by Justice Kolawole, which the trial judge acceded to.

Justice Tsoho, thereafter, adjourned the matter to March 2 and 3, 2016 for the commencement of trial.

Ad

X whatsapp