Doyin Okupe, director-general of the Peter Obi presidential campaign, was found guilty by an Abuja-based federal high court of violating the money laundering act.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicted Okupe with 59 counts in 2019 for suspected money laundering and fund diversion totaling N702 million.
He was charged along with two businesses, Value Trust Investment Ltd. and Abrahams Telecoms Ltd., and appeared in court before presiding judge Ijeoma Ojukwu.
While Sambo Dasuki was in power, Okupe allegedly got money from the National Security Adviser (NSA) office.
In his ruling on Monday, Ojukwu determined that Okupe had violated sections 16(1) and (2) of the Money Laundering Act by taking cash payments beyond the maximum allowed without first going via a financial institution.
The judge ruled that even though the former president is believed to have authorized the payments, he failed to specify a cash payment in violation of the Money Laundering Act because the NSA is not a banking institution.
“I find the first defendant, Dr. Doyin Okupe, guilty on counts 34, 35, 36, and 59,” the court ruled. 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, criminal breach of trust and corruption against the NSA.
The case was then put on hold until 1:45 p.m. so that the defendant (Okupe) could bring witnesses to speak about his character, as required by Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
After the proceedings have been completed, the sentencing is anticipated to be given.
