Justice Ijeoma Ojuwku of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Monday found former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Senior Special Adviser, Dr Doyin Okupe, guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from a former National Security Adviser, Col.
Justice Ojuwku, in the judgment, held that the action of Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, violated the Money Laundering Act.
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 Act.
The court held: “I find the first defendant, Dr Doyin Okupe, guilty in counts 34, 35, 3659.”.
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.
The court however held that receiving such amounts in cash violated the Money Laundering Act.
Article updated 22 hours ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
