Okupe escapes two-year prison after paying N13 million in money laundering case

On Monday, Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was convicted guilty of accepting more than N200 million in cash from Col. Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Advisor (retd).

As a result, on each of the 26 counts for which he was found guilty, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced him to two years in prison with the option of a N500, 000 fine.

In presiding over the case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Justice Ojukwu declared that Okupe, the first defendant, had broken the Money Laundering Act.

She stated that he had till 4.30 pm to choose between paying the complete N13 million fine for all the offences for which he was found guilty or being transported to the Kuje Correctional Center.

In sentencing Okupe, Justice Ojukwu took into account the pleas for mercy made by the convict’s wife, Omolola, and his son, Adesunkanmi.

The judge held that “there is no evidence that the money passed through a financial institution” and that Okupe was not a financial institution even though the president was said to have authorized the funds, he did not say that the money must be paid in cash even though the Money Laundering Act stated that no individual or organization shall receive any sum above N5m and N10m respectively without passing through a financial institution

Because the prosecution was unable to prove that the NSA was guilty of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and corruption, the court declared Okupe guilty in charges 34, 35, 36 to 59 and freed him on counts 1 to 33.

Okupe was charged with receiving varying amounts of money ranging from N10m on several dates between 2012 and 2015 while serving as Jonathan’s assistant in counts 34 to 59, for which he was found guilty.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said that the aforementioned amount was used to maintain his office, pay staff members, and defame the former President and his government. Receiving such sums in cash, the court determined, was against the Money Laundering Act.

Francis Oronsaye, Okupe’s attorney, urged with the court to exercise mercy because his client was a first-time offender, a family man who is also elderly and has health issues that he is now treating in Nigeria and abroad.

Valid View Network did learn that Okupe was able to pay his fine before the deadline and was given permission to go.

According to a source, “Okupe has paid; they came back with the bank paperwork at 4:25 p.m. Everyone signed it, including the attorney for the EFCC, and the court processed it.”

Okupe tweeted shortly after his release, “God is not a man. The adversaries have made numerous attempts but have consistently failed. Victory belongs to God.”

The Director-General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Okupe, was found guilty by a court on Monday, and the Labour Party leadership stated that it will review the ruling before taking a statement.

Mr. Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has declared that the conviction of his Campaign Organisation’s Director-General, Dr. Doyin Okupe, over money laundering wouldn’t break his resolve to be Nigeria’s President in 2023.

Obi stated this during an interaction with journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Council Secretariat on Monday.

The former Anambra State governor said he was undaunted by the conviction and will allow the due process of law to take its course.

Obi said, “I’m hearing about it [Okupe’s conviction] just like you. I’m still studying what is coming out of the Court and everything. I believe in the rule of law. It’s not going to demoralise me.“

“In my life, I have never stayed where they dropped me, otherwise, I would’ve been where they dropped me before. This election, if they like, let them do anything about people who are around me. I will get there.”