A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has found Dr Doyin Okupe, former Senior Special Adviser to ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from former the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Justice Ijeoma Ojuwku in a verdict delivered on Monday held that the action of Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission violated the money laundering Act.
Stating that the Act provides that no individual or organization shall receive any sum above N5 million and N10 million respectively without passing through a financial institution, the judge held that “there is no evidence that the money passed through a financial institution”.
He said the NSA was not a financial institution, adding that even if the president was said to have authorized the funds, he did not say that the money must be paid in cash in violation of the money laundering.
He said:I find the first defendant, Dr Doyin Okupe guilty in counts 34, 35, 36 and 59″
The court dismissed counts 1 to 33 on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish the charge of money laundering and criminal breach of trust and corruption against the NSA.
In counts 34 to 59, upon which Okupe was convicted, he was accused of receiving various sums ranging from N10 million on different occasions from 2012 to 2015 when he was SSA to president Jonathan.
The said sum according to him were expended on running the office, payment of staffs and image laundering of the former president and his administration.
Shortly after his conviction, his lawyer Mr Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy on the grounds that the defendant was a first time offender, a family man who is also advanced in age and having health challenges that he is currently treating in Nigeria and outside the country.
Oronsaye, citing Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, urged the court to stand down the matter to enable him call witnesses that will attest to the good character of Okupe.
Although the request was opposed by prosecution lawyer, Mr Audu Ibrahim, the judge however stood down the matter to enable the defendant call his witnesses before handing down her sentence.
