The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has convicted the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council of the Labour Party, LP, Doyin Okupe, over a breach of the Money Laundering Act.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16 (1) & (2) of the Money Laundering Act.
In a well-considered judgment, the trial court held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, successfully established its case against Okupe
The judge said Okupe was guilty of collecting cash payments in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act, without going through a financial institution.
According to her, the embattled Labour Party DG was reported to have received hundreds of millions in cash from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) while Col. Sambo Dasuki (retired) was in office.
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The court noted that evidence before it established that the defendant had in the discharge of his official duties, accepted cash payments that were above the statutory threshold, without recourse to a financial institution.
However, Justice Ojukwu stood down proceedings till 1:45 pm for Okupe to exercise his right under Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to call witnesses to testify about his character, before the court could proceed to pronounce sentence on the convict.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Okupe in 2019 on a 59-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and diversion of funds to the tune of N702 million.
He was arraigned alongside two companies, Value Trust Investment Ltd and Abrahams Telecoms Ltd.
The court however gave the defendant an option of N500,000 fine on each of the counts.
Justice Ojukwu however discharged him on counts one to 33 which bordered on money laundering and criminal breach of trust
