The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, docked erstwhile Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged N2.1 billion fraud.
Dokpesi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is answering to a six-count criminal charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust.
He was arraigned alongside his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower FM.
Specifically, EFCC, in the charge signed by its Deputy Director, Legal & Prosecution, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, alleged that Dokpesi received about N2.1 billion from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, for PDP’s presidential media campaign.
According to the charge, the funds were released to the accused persons between October 2014 and March 19, 2015.
The funds were allegedly transferred from an account the office of NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN , to a FirstBank of Nigeria Plc account owned by DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited.
The prosecution maintained that the transaction 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, 2004.
Dokpesi pleads not guilty
Meanwhile, Dokpesi, yesterday, pleaded not guilty to the entire six-count charge, even as Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned till today to consider his application for bail.
In the interim, the court gave the EFCC the nod to detain the accused person in its custody pending determination of his bail request.
Dokpesi had shortly after his arraignment, prayed the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.
The defence counsel, Chief Mike Ozehkome, SAN, urged the court to consider the status of his client and release him on self recognition or “on the most liberal term,” saying the offences against him are ordinarily bailable.
However, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, objected to the court allowing Dokpesi’s lawyer to move the bail application which he said was just served on him yesterday.
Jacobs told the court that he would need time to study and react to fundamental issues he said were raised by the accused person in the bail application.
Consequently, by consent of the two lawyers, Justice Kolawole, adjourned till today to entertain arguments on whether Dokpesi should be granted bail or not.
The Judge, however, slated February 17, 18 and March 2 and 3, 2016, to begin full-blown hearing on the substantive charge before the court.
SEE The Charge Sheet At End of Article
It will be recalled that Dokpesi was on December 1, arrested and detained in connection with money disbursed from the office of the former NSA under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd .
The EFCC maintained that he had questions to answer regarding huge sums of money it said was dished out to his media outfit while Dasuki held sway as the NSA.
Nevertheless, Dokpesi was reported to have claimed that the payments were for media coverages his organisation rendered to former President Jonathan prior to the 2015 general elections.
Dissatisfied with his detention, Dokpesi, through his lawyer, filed a motion ex-parte before the high court on December 3, wherein he sought for an enforcement of his fundamental right to freedom.
Ozehkome, SAN, told the court that his client was detained for more than 48 hours without the EFCC entering any charge against him.
He further told the court that Dokpesi was on December 1, summoned via the telephone to report to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He said that Dokpesi had since then remained in custody of the anti-graft agency, adding that he was grilled for so many hours despite the fact that he did not have fore knowledge of why he was wanted by the EFCC.
