Money Laundering: Okupe Pays N13m Fine To Avoid Jail

At 4pm yesterday, former senior special adviser (SSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Doyin Okupe, brought evidence of payment of the sum of N13 million for the 52-year jail term he bagged yesterday for N240 million money laundering offence.

Justice Ijeoma Ojuwku of the Federal High Court, Abuja had in her judgment found Okupe guilty in 26 out of the 59 counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ojukwu ordered that the 26 counts, which attracted two-year jail-term each, would run concurrently, meaning, the convict would only spend two years in prison.

The judge gave an option of N500,000 in each of the counts, amounting to N13 million, which must be paid before 4:30pm (the close of work) today.

She ordered that if Okupe failed to meet the option of fine within the time frame, he should be taken to Kuje Correctional Centre to serve his prison term.

Okupe was found guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki.

The court in its judgment held that the action of Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the (EFCC violated the Money Laundering Act.

The court sentenced Okupe, who is the Director-General of the Peter Obi Campaign Organisation, to two years imprisonment on count 34 with an option of a fine of N500,000.

The court also sentenced him to two years imprisonment on counts 35 to 59 with an option fine of N500,000. The option of fine is to run consecutively on each count while the sentence is to run concurrently. The sentence to run from the day of delivering the judgment.

The court noted that it refrains from making any custodial order, but the convict is the property of the state.

The judge gave Okupe till 4:30 pm before being taken into custody. Okupe was found guilty on counts 34 to 59 of the charges.

While 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”.

According to Justice Ojuwku, 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.

Consequently, the court held, “I find the first defendant, Dr Doyin Okupe guilty on counts 34, 35, 36 and 59.

 The judge, however, found the defendants not guilty in 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 staff and image laundering of the former president and his administration.

But the court however held that receiving such amounts in cash violated the Money Laundering Act.

Shortly after his conviction, his lawyer Mr Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to temper 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.

Lawyers to the second and third defendants also lend their voices in the plea for mercy, adding that the convict was a mere victim of circumstances.

Although the request was opposed by prosecution lawyer, Mr Audu Ibrahim, the judge however stood down the matter to enable the defendant called his witnesses before handing down her sentence.