The Chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, On Thursday, December 11, 2015 failed in his bid to regain his freedom after being arraigned on Wednesday on a six-count charge for alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Dokpesi is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving the sum of N2.1 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) for the presidential media campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election.
The money was allegedly disbursed from funds earmarked for the procurement of arms for the fight against the insurgency in the North-east.
He was arraigned alongside his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Limited, owner of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM.
The funds, which were allegedly released to the accused persons between October 2014 and March 19, 2015 were allegedly transferred from an account in the office of the NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to a First Bank of Nigeria Limited account owned by DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited.
The offence was in breach of Section 58(4)(b) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and punishable under Section 58(6) and (7) of the same Act, as well as under Section 17(b) of the EFCC Act. Dokpesi however pleaded not guilty to all the counts preferred against him.
Efforts by his counsel, Mr. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), to secure his bail on Wednesday were countered by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), on the grounds that the application was served on him shortly before the court started sitting. He urged the court to allow him time to respond.
The court, in the circumstances, adjourned till yesterday for hearing on the bail application.
A statement yesterday by EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujiaren, said while moving the application at the resumed sitting, Ozekhome prayed the court to grant the accused bail saying: “The applicant has not contributed to the insurgency by his act and the only reason he is held in custody is because of mere speculation of a future investigation which this honourable court cannot act on.”
He told the court that the applicant was billed to travel abroad for a medical appointment, and tendered evidence to this effect.
The counsel argued that the alleged offence was bailable, adding that the accused would not jump bail as he has a family and dependants in the country.
Jacobs however drew the court’s attention to the seriousness of the offence. “The nature of the offence borders on corruption and a serious one,” he stated.
Jacobs explained that the exhibits tendered by the defence, which included a doctor’s appointment letter, hotel reservation and flight tickets, were arranged while the defendant was already in custody.
He further told the court that “the accused initially denied having any transaction with the office of the NSA until he was confronted with the evidence. Therefore, such person cannot be granted bail as this is coming when the country is trying to change its corruption rating in the international community”.
He urged the court to refuse the application and remand the accused in custody.
Justice Kolawole, after listening to the submissions of both counsels, adjourned till Monday, December 14 for ruling on the bail application and ordered that the accused be remanded in EFCC custody.
The EFCC early this month arrested Dokpesi alongside the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; a former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; and the former Director of Finance and Admin at the NSA’s office, Alhaji Shuaibu Salisu, among others, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of $2.1 billion meant for the procurement of arms by the past administration.
The EFCC on Wednesday filed charges against the other suspects at the Federal High Court, but their cases have not been assigned to judges.
