The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, re-arraigned Chief Raymond Dokpesi, former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc, before Justice Tsoho, of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust to the tune of N2.1 billion.
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.
Dokpesi, who was arraigned alongside his firm DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower is alleged to have received N2.1 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, between October 2014 and March 2015, which was used for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential media campaign, an offence in breach of provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the EFCC Establishment Act.
One of the counts reads: “That you Dr. Raymond Dokpesi and Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited between October 2014 and March 19, 2015 in Abuja, conducted procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt act, to wit: receipt of payment into the account of Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited with First Bank of Nigeria Plc of public funds in the sum of N2,120,000,000 from the account of the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the funding of media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (6) & (7) of the same Act”.
He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him and the defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on the same terms and conditions earlier granted by Justice Kolawole, which the trial judge acceded to.
Justice Tsoho, thereafter, adjourned the matter to March 2 and 3, 2016 for the commencement of trial.
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