High profile corruption: How Dokpesi was tried for N2.1b fraud
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In our review of high profile corruption trials today, the founder of Daar Holdings Plc, and the Chairman of DAAR Communications, owner of African Independent Television and Raypower FM, Chief Raymond Dokpesi was tried for N2.1 billion fraud but escaped conviction.
Chief Dokpesi faced a six-count charge bordering on corruption and violation of the public procurement law, brought against him by the Federal Government.
Read on:
Raymond Dokpesi – N2.1 billion fraud
Chief Raymond Dokpesi is the founder of Daar Holdings Plc, and the Chairman of DAAR Communications, owner of African Independent Television and Raypower FM.
Dokpesi was on Wednesday December 9, 2015, arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of fraud by his company during the 2015 general elections.
Dokpesi is facing a six-count charge bordering on corruption and violation of the public procurement law, brought against him by the Federal Government.
The charges include receiving purported contract through the presidential media initiative by Daar Investment and Holding Company to the tune of N2.1 billion.
The company received the sum through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), without a “certificate of no objection” from the office of the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The government says the company is also alleged to have received the said sum without any competitive bidding for the contract.
Mr. Dokpesi is also alleged to have made the proposal for the said contract on behalf of his company without any comprehensive request for same by the Federal Government.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that Mr. Dokpesi committed procurement fraud with its company through the office of the National Security Adviser.
Mr. Dokpesi pleaded not guilty to all six charges. Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, 14 December, 2015, granted Dokpesi, bail in the sum of N200 million.
EFCC, on Wednesday, February 17, 2016, re-arraigned Dokpesi, before Justice Tsoho of a Federal High Court, Abuja.
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.
Shuaibu Salisu Abdulmalik, a prosecution witness in the trial of Chief Raymond Dokpesi on Tuesday, December 13, 2016, told Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja that Dokpesi’s company account, Daar Communications Plc was paid N2.1 billion as media campaign fund on the instruction of Sambo Dasuki, former NSA.
He insisted that the money was not captured in the budget.
Abdulmalik, who testified as PW2, was at the time of investigation the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA), at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), between November 2010 – 2015.
On Friday, March 9, 2018, Abubakar Aliyu Madaki, the twelfth prosecution witness (PW12), revealed how the defendant received funds from the Office of National Security Adviser, under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) for services not rendered.
He testified before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
He had on May 3rd, 2018, said that the United States has revoked his visa after he was accused of looting Nigeria’s treasury.
Dokpesi also on May 28, 2018, told the court that he has no case to answer.
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He took the decision after EFCC closed its case having called a total of 14 witnesses that testified before the court.
EFCC had through its last witness, Usman Aliyu, told the court that Dokpesi diverted the funds he allegedly got from ONSA, into accounts belonging to Daar Communications.
On September 20, 2018, Dokpesi and Bala Mohammed, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify an Executive Order signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Bello Mohammed, a former Ambassador, is also a plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1012/2018.
Apart from the President, Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), is a defendant in the suit.
In July 2018, Buhari issued Executive Order No.6 restraining owners of assets under probe from carrying out further transactions on such properties.
The anti-graft agency, EFCC, concluded its prosecution of Raymond Dokpesi after calling 14 witnesses.
At the last trial, Mr. Dokpesi told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he would be making a no case submission to wrap up his trial.
The owner of Nigeria’s first private radio station is facing trial for the alleged diversion of N2.1 billion received from the office of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Earlier, a witness brought in by the prosecution corroborated previous claims of financial diversions into accounts belonging to Daar Communications from the office of the former NSA.
The witness, Usman Aliyu, also told the court that part of the fund, N68 million, was used for the construction of Mr. Dokpesi’s country home in Edo State.
Meanwhile, the Abuja Federal High Court later upheld the no case submission made by Dokpesi and discharged him but EFCC appealed the judgment.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, discharged and acquitted the Chairman of DAAR Communications on the allegation of N2.1 billion fraud Case.
The court made the declaration on Thursday, April 1, 2022.
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High profile corruption: Gov. Fayemi’s N2b fraud case to resume after handover
NB: This Publication includes part of a compendium by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) covering corruption cases as at 22nd of November, 2019.
