HeadlineUPDATED: Court Convicts LP Campaign DG Doyin Okupe For Money Laundering

UPDATED: Court Convicts LP Campaign DG Doyin Okupe For Money Laundering

December 19, (THEWILL) – Justice Ijeoma Ojuwku of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, found Dr Doyin Okupe, Director General of the Labour Party (LP) Campaign Council, guilty of money laundering.

Okukpe was a Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Okupe in 2019 on a 59-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and diversion of funds to the tune of N702 million.

Glo

Okupe was said to have received cash from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) while Sambo Dasuki was in office.

In a judgment on Monday, Justice Ojukwu found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for accepting cash payments without going through the financial institution, in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act.

While stating that the Money Laundering 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” and that Okupe was not a financial institution, and 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.

Justice Ojukwu, who considered the pleadings for leniency from the wife of the convict, Omolola Okupe, his son, Adesunkanmi Okupe and the allocutus by his counsel, sentenced him to two years imprisonment or an option of N500, 000 on each of the 26 count charge for which he was found guilty.

The Court held that Okupe has up to 4:30 pm on Monday, to pay the fine option, totalling the sum of N13 million or be sent to the Kuje Correctional Centre.

About the Author

Homepage | Recent Posts

More like this
Related