COURT DOKPESI MUST EXPLAIN THE N2.1BN HE COLLECTED FROM DASUKI
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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ruled that media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, and his Daar Investment and Holdings Company Limited must explain the N2.1bn they allegedly received from the Office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki in 2015.
The defendants had filed a no-case submission which was struck out by Justice John Tsoho who ruled that the defendants, who are the founder and the parent company of African Independent Television and Ray Power Radio, had a case to answer in respect of the money laundering and procurement fraud charges.
Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in a similar case involving a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, Justice Tsoho ruled that the prosecution had led prima facie case warranting the defendants to explain their own side of the story.
The judge ruled, “I am guided by the decision of the Supreme Court’s decision in Metuh Vs FRN and hold that a prima facie case has been made against the defendants.
“This is not a stage to evaluate the evidence of the prosecution.
“The no case submission filed by the defendants on June 19, 2018, is struck out.
“The defendants are hereby invited to explain their own side of the story.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had in the seven counts of money laundering and procurement fraud it instituted against the defendants, accused them of fraudulently receiving the sum of N2.1bn from the ONSA between January and March 2015.
The defendants had, however, through their lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), filed their no-case submission after the prosecution called 14 witnesses, urging the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the essential ingredients of the alleged offenses were not proved.
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