Labour Party has reacted to the conviction of its presidential campaign director-general, Doyin Okupe, by a Federal High Court Abuja. Okupe was sentenced to two years imprisonment for breaching the Money Laundering Act, with an option of N500, 000 fine on each of the 26 count charges for which he was found guilty. Commenting on the development, the LP presidential campaign council’s media officer, Diran Onifade, said Okupe has paid the fine which was 13 million in total.
The Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) says its Director-General, Doyin Okupe, has paid N13m fine following his conviction by a Federal High Court Abuja on Monday, December 19.
The court said Okupe had up to 4:30 pm on Monday to pay the fine option, totalling the sum of N13 million on all the charges he was found guilty of or be sent to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Okupe has paid N13m fine, says Diran Onifade Commenting on the development, the PCC media officer, Diran Onifade, said Okupe has paid the fine to avoid going to jail.
Channels TV reported that Onifade made this known in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital ahead of the party’s rally in the state on Tuesday, December 20.
He said as the party that respects the rule of law, its officials will obey court judgments promptly. Onifade, however, said appealing the judgment is a personal decision of Okupe and that the PCC cannot influence that.
Nigerians react
Fasakin Olusola said: “That Doyin Okupe paid his fine instead of serving his prison term doesn’t mean anything. He remains an ex-convict until a superior court rules otherwise.” Aniamalu Obiora said: “He is an EX convict. I pity any product he will try marketing.”
What is Doyin Okupe’s Offence? Real Reason Court Sent Peter Obi’s Campaign DG to Prison Revealed
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, the presiding judge, held that Okupe who was arraigned by the EFCC was guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act This report provides a background into how and why Okupe was arraigned and the details of the court verdict.
Many young Nigerian voters know Okupe as the director-general of Peter Obi’s Labour (LP) presidential campaign council.
The court jailed Doyin Okupe for money laundering for receiving cash payments without going through a bank, in excess of the threshold statutorily allowed.
Before his latest political appointment, he had served as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan. The court ruling on Monday has to do with his role as ex-President Jonathan’s aide.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on Monday held that Okupe was guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for receiving cash payments without going through a bank, in excess of the threshold statutorily allowed. 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/bank.
In 2019, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Okupe and two companies over allegations of N702 million fraud.
The anti-graft agency charged Okupe with 59 counts bordering on “money laundering and criminal diversion of funds” to the tune of N702 million.
The money, according to the EFCC, was from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which was headed by Sambo Dasuki. The anti-graft commission presented Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Administration and Finance at the ONSA, to testify against Okupe.
Salisu told the court that he was directed in 2012 to make a payment of N50 million to the DG of Peter Obi’s campaign. He added that he was also directed by the ONSA to be “paying N10 million monthly to Okupe for over two years”.
Salisu added that the money was reduced to a monthly N5 million towards the end of 2014 due to a paucity of funds. He said Dasuki also ordered him to pay another N50 million in cash to Okupe.
“Sometime in 2012, Chief Okupe came to the Office of the National Security Adviser, and after their discussion, I was directed to make a payment of N50 million to him.” “Okupe provided his account details, where I paid the amount into the bank account of Value Trust Investment,” Salisu was quoted as saying. Details of the court verdict against Peter Obi Justice Ojukwu found Okupe guilty of 26 out of a 59-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC. She thereafter sentenced Obi’s ally to two years in prison on each of the counts, making 52 years. However, the sentence is to run concurrently, meaning he will only serve two years. Okupe however, choosed not to go to jail at all as he paid N500,000 fine on each of the counts — totalling N13 million.