ABUJA – The embattled erstwhile Chairman of DAAR Communication, owners of African Independent Television and Ray Power FM, Chief Raymond Dopkesi, on Tuesday sent season’s greeting cards to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Raymond Dokpesi
Dokpesi is standing trial at a federal high court in Abuja on charges of money laundering and corruption pressed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
But in an apparent way of seeking respite, a team from his establishment sent a gigantic Eid el Maulud, Christmas and New Year cards to president Buhari and his vice.
Those on the delegation led by the current Chairman of the establishment, Mr. Raymond Dokpesi Jnr.included the Managing Director, Mr. Tony Akiotu; Managing Director, DAAR News Services, Imoni Amarere; Head, Human Resource, Paulyn Ugbodaga; and Head, Corporate Communications and Kunle Onime.
The Special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina and a Director of Information, Mr. Justin Abuah received the card for the president just as Senior Special Assistant Documentation in the Vice President’s office, Mr. Sesan Adeboyejo also received the one for Osinbajo.
It was learnt that the delegation had earlier sought the presence of president Buhari who was not readily available for them.
Meanwhile, the goodwill message on the card read thus: “The chairman, Board of Directors, Management and staff of DAAR Communications Plc, proprietors and operators of Raypower FM, Africa Independent Television and Faaji FM, most heartily felicitate with Your Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and family on the occasions of Eid Maulud, Christmas and New Year 2016.”
By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North, & Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — As details of huge funds disbursed by the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki continue to surface, indications emerged last night that the embattled security czar is set to expose more top Nigerian leaders who benefited from the funds.
Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki
A source close to the former NSA, who was docked yesterday, told Vanguard that Dasuki who was arraigned yesterday alongside others on a fresh 19-count charge was ready to speak up on how the funds earmarked for his office was disbursed with details of top serving and retired Nigerian leaders who benefitted immensely from the money, which is now a subject of litigation.
Meanwhile, former Minister of State, Finance, Bashir Yuguda ,former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, former Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Salisu, Sagir Attahiru and a company the EFCC insisted was used to divert huge sums of money from the office of the NSA prior to the 2015 general elections, Dahaltu Investment Limited will be arraigned today even as Chairman Emeritus of Daar Communications was admitted to bail yesterday.
Dasuki to expose more
According to the source close to the former NSA, it had become necessary for Dasuki to expose the first in the series of the top beneficiaries, which include former heads of state and presidents, who were bought bullet-proof Sports Utility Vehicles by the ONSA with funds approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Although Dasuki is keeping the names of the beneficiaries of the car gifts to himself, the source told Vanguard that he was ready to spill the beans at the appropriate time, saying that the list will shock Nigerians.
According to the Dasuki aide, all the former presidents and heads of state got one exotic car from the embattled NSA and did not find out the source of the funding. The officer explained that of all the former presidents, one of them who has been very vociferous demanded two of the SUVs from the ONSA, who grudgingly obliged him.
The former head of state, it was gathered, had explained to Dasuki that he needed one of the vehicles to be kept for him in Abuja and another to be stationed in Lagos to ease his movement to the two main Nigerian cities. The officer however refused to give the cost of the exotic cars bought for the former heads of state and president, saying that the details could be obtained from the ONSA.
“What is coming will shock Nigerians and many of them will get to know if indeed Dasuki used the money to enrich himself as being bandied in many quarters. As a law-abiding NSA, he had to carry out the instructions handed over to him by the Presidency and nothing more,” the aide said.
“It is also instructive to note that those who are now blaming Dasuki for carrying out his assigned duties and calling for his head actually benefitted immensely from the security vote, which was domiciled in his office. The truth of the matter is that all over the world security votes are used for various reasons to bring about national peace and stability and Dasuki could not have done otherwise,” his aide said.
Dasuki, others plead not guilty to fresh charges
Meanwhile, Dasuki was arraigned before an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama yesterday alongside his former Finance Director, Shuaibu Salisu and others on a fresh 19-count charge. Dasuki who was accused of allegedly diverting over N13.6 billion from the national treasury had stated clearly that all the funds spent by him were duly approved by former President Jonathan and that he acted at all times in the overall national interest of Nigeria and its peoples.
Others arraigned with them were, former Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa, as well as his companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referal Hospital Limited. The accused persons were alleged to have illegally diverted over N13.6billion from the national treasury.
EFCC told the court that it was the accused persons that supervised the unlawful disbursement of billions of Naira from different bank accounts belonging to the office of the NSA. Bulk of the funds were allegedly withdrawn from an account the office of the NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria. According to the anti-graft agency, the funds were distributed to delegates that attended the presidential primary election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held in Abuja in 2014, a process that saw the emergence of ex-President Jonathan as sole presidential candidate of the party.
Part of the allegedly looted funds were said to have been shared to members of the House of Representatives in the PDP to facilitate their re-election bid. The EFCC, among other things, alleged that the sum of N13.570 billion, being money for an “agreement”, between Dasuki and the ex-Director of Finance in the office of the NSA, Salisu, was looted from the national treasury.
They were said to have transferred a total sum of N1.45b to Acacia Holdings Limited’s account for special prayers; N2.1b given to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited for publicity; N170m for a four-bedroom duplex; N380m to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and N750m paid into Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account for special prayers.
Besides, EFCC said its investigations revealed that N670m was paid to a certain publisher, N260m transferred to Tony Anenih and N345million traced to a former President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
The Commission said it has not been able to trace the ex-Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa, who it said was “on the run”.
Accused plead not guilty
Nevertheless, all the accused persons, yesterday, pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf fixed today to hear their separate applications for bail. Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, had shortly after the accused persons entered their plea yesterday, urged the court to set a date for their trial to commence.
He told the court that he would need time to respond to some of the bail applications he said were just served on him. On his part, Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, said he filed a summon for his client to be released on bail.
“My brother silk just served me a counter-affidavit this morning. We had discussions with him, subject to my lords’ convenience, we shall be asking to return tomorrow so we can respond to the counter-affidavit. It will also enable the prosecution to respond to bail applications from the other accused persons”, Raji submitted.
By consent of all the lawyers, Justice Yusuf adjourned the matter till today. The accused persons were thereafter returned to the detention facility of the EFCC.
Yuguda, Bafarawa to be arraigned today
In another development, the EFCC, will today arraign former Minister of State, Finance, Bashir Yuguda and former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, before Justice Peter Affen of the same high court.
The duo will be arraigned alongside ex-NSA, Dasuki, former Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Salisu, Sagir Attahiru and a company the EFCC insisted was used to divert huge sums of money from the office of the NSA prior to the 2015 general elections, Dahaltu Investment Limited.
While granting EFCC leave to dock the accused persons on a 22-count criminal charge, Justice Affen said he was satisfied that there is a prima facie case that established a nexus between the accused persons and the charge before the court, dated December 8.
Earlier, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that the accused persons diverted funds budgeted for the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria. He said the funds were sequentially withdrawn from an account of the office of the NSA with CBN and other financial institutions.
“The funds were diverted for political campaign and shared to third parties who have nothing to do with the NSA”.
The EFCC lawyer told the court that the accused persons have made confessional statements.
“My lord, we are talking about monies running into billions of Naira”, Jacobs added.
Whereas two of the charges EFCC preferred against Dasuki yesterday read: “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser and Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa (now at large) whilst being Senior Special Assistant , Domestic Affairs to the President on or about 27th November,2014, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N10billion being part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with the CBN, the equivalent of which sum you received from the CBN in foreign currencies to wit: $47million and €5.6million Euros committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you claimed to have distributed same to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Presidential Primary Election delegates and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.
“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) between 22nd January 2015 and 19th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N2,120,000,000 which was in the account of National Security Adviser with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited controlled by one Dr. Raymond Dokpesi for the funding of media activities for the 2015 Presidential Election Campaign for the PDP and you thereby committed an offence punishable under under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004”.
Some of the charges in the case before Justice Affen reads: “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd), whilst being the National Security Adviser and Shuaibu Salisu whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the NSA, between 14th April, 2014, and 7th May, 2015, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: an aggregate sum of N3,350,000,000 (Three Billion, Three Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) being part of the funds in the account of the office of the NSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said properties when you transfered same to the account of Dalhatu Investment Limited with the United Bank of Africa Plc. purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4, LFN 2004.
“That you Dalhatu Investment Limited, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, between 14th April, 2014 and 17th May, 2015, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, dishonestly received stolen property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N3,350,000,000 (Three Billion, Three Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) into your account with the United Bank of Africa Plc from the account of the office of the NSA with the CBN, which belonged to the Federal Government of Nigeria and knowing the said sum to be stolen property but purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 317 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4, LFN 2004.
Dokpesi secures N400m bail
Also, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, granted Chairman Emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi , bail in the sum of N400milion. Dokpesi who was docked before the court on December 11, is answering to a six-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He is facing trial alongside his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower FM. EFCC, in the charge signed by its Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, alleged that Dokpesi received about N2.1billion from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, for PDP’s presidential media campaign.
According to the charge, the funds were released to the accused persons between October 2014 and March 19, 2015. The funds were allegedly transferred from an account in the office of the NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN , to a FirstBank Nigeria Plc account owned by DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited. The prosecution maintained that the transaction was in breach of section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and punishable under section 58 (6) and 7 of the same Act, as well as under section 17 (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
Dokpesi had since pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as the court slated February 17, 18 and March 2 and 3, 2016, to begin full-blown hearing on the matter. He had through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozehkome, SAN, pleaded the court to grant him bail on self recognizance or on the most liberal terms. His prayer was however refused yesterday by trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole.
Ruling on the bail application yesterday, Justice Kolawole ordered Dokpesi to produce two persons that will stand surety for him. He directed that the two sureties must deposit N200m each. According to the court, one of the sureties must be a public servant, either serving or retired, not below the level of a Director.
The trial judge stressed that in the event that the surety is a serving Director, the person must produce an identification letter from his or her boss. If retired, the person must produce a gazetted document depicting that he or she was formerly a director. Besides, the court held that the second surety could be an entrepreneur who must submit three years tax clearance, including that of 2015.
Justice Kolawole maintained that either of the two sureties must tender the title deeds of a landed property in any part of Nigeria, the value of which must not be below N200milion. The sureties, the court said, must also depose to an affidavit of means, submit two recent passport photographs to the Deputy Chief Registrar, DCR, Administration, of the high court.
Dokpesi was further directed to surrender his international passport, “If already in custody of the EFCC, it should be delivered within 24 hours to the DCR of the Federal High Court in charge of Litigation”, the court ordered.
The court dismissed the objection EFCC raised against Dokpesi’s bail request. Justice Kolawole held that the charge against the accused person is a bailable one.
“No court of law can rely on proof of evidence to refuse bail to a defendant charged with indictable felony. To do so will amount to a violation of the constitution”.
The judge said it was not enough for the EFCC to hinge its opposition to the bail application on the fact that it is currently investigating a fresh N8.4billion fraud involving the accused person.
“This court cannot at this stage indulge itself in speculation as to what the outcome of the fresh investigation will be”, Justice Kolawole added.
Noting that the charge against Dokpesi could only attract a maximum of seven years jail term upon conviction, the judge, said the most crucial factor was the prospect that the defendant would be available to stand his trial. The judge said the anti-graft agency failed to prove that Dokpesi posed flight risk.
Moreover, he observed that though EFCC had in its counter-affidavit, alleged that Dokpesi looted funds meant for the purchase of arms for the military, he said that none of the six-count charge made mention of such allegation.
“Which of the six count charges mentioned any issue with regard to diversion of funds meant for security? None of the charge said so. But I don’t want to go further lest I be accused of descending into the arena.”
He further observed that the alleged fresh offence was committed since 2012 , describing EFCC’s allegation that the accused person will interfere with its witnesses as “merely speculative”. The judge further queried why the prosecuting agency charged only Dokpesi and his company even though it alleged that he connived with some officials in the office of the NSA to perpetuate the fraud.
Justice Kolawole said he could not accede to EFCC’s request for Dokpesi to be allowed to remain in detention pending accelerated hearing of the case against him. The judge said from experience, he was sure the trial could last for more than 36 months.
Meantime, before adjourning the case for trial, Justice Kolawole, ordered that Dokpesi should be remanded in prison custody pending perfection of bail conditions. The court, while giving EFCC the nod to go ahead with its fresh investigation, however directed that Dokpesi should always be notified in writing through his counsel, at least 48 hours, any day he is wanted for questioning.
Specifically, the court held that such investigation should commence by 10am and not go beyond 18:30pm. The court warned EFCC against re-arresting the accused person under the guise that it is conducting fresh investigation.
“This is to ensure that the bail is not rendered illusionary. If there is need for the EFCC to keep the accused person beyond 18:30pm, it must file an ex-parte for leave to be granted by this court.
“This is to ensure that no agency of government sidetracks the efficacy of court orders. The government should not by its own procedure adopt measures or encourage any agency to abuse its powers. To do so will in itself amount to gross corruption of the due process of the law,” Justice Kolawole added.
EFCC had alleged that the transaction between Dokpesi and the office of the NSA was in breach of Section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and punishable under section 58 (6) and 7 of the same Act, as well as under section 17 (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
The commission said it was probing Dokpesi over about N8.4billion he collected from the Federal Government when Nigeria hosted Under-17 World Cup in 2012.
It alleged that though it was the world football body, FIFA, that awarded viewing right for the under-age tournament, Dokpesi, still collected “billions of Naira from the Nigerian government”.
“My lord there are still other issues, we believe that if granted bail, the accused person has the capacity to scuttle ongoing investigation into the matter”, EFCC lawyer, Jacobs submitted.
He argued that in granting bail, the court must consider the gravity of offence committed by the accused person, weight of the proof of evidence and the possible punishment the offence could attract.
“If money meant for the fight against insurgency is deployed for political campaign, could a person that took such action be allowed to walk freely? We must show that we are ready to fight corruption in this country.
“He is even asking for bail on self-recognizance whereas a common man who is charged before a Magistrate’s Court for a simple offence is denied bail.
“I therefore humbly urge my lord to refuse this bail application “, Rotimi argued.
Dokpesi had through his lawyer, informed the court that he was scheduled to go for a medical treatment in the United Kingdom before he was arrested by the EFCC on December 1.
Ozehkome tendered as evidence, an appointment letter dated November 30, which was given to Dokpesi by his doctor in the UK.
Aside the letter which showed that Dokpesi was originally scheduled to undergo medical examination at the London hospital on December 4, Ozehkome, equally tendered a British Airways reservation ticket showing that his client would have departed Nigeria a day before his appointment.
Ozehkome told the court that EFCC had on December 3, granted Dokpesi administrative bail, only for it to be cancelled after the accused person had perfected all the conditions that were given to him.
ABUJA – The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has granted the former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, bail to the tune of N400milion.
Raymond Dokpesi
In a ruling this afternoon, trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordered Dokpesi who is facing a six-count criminal charge, to produce two sureties who must deposit N200m each.
The court stressed that one of the sureties must be a public servant, either serving or retired, not below the level of a Director, adding that the second surety may be an entrepreneur who must submit three years tax clearance.
Justice Kolawole held that either of the two sureties must tender title deeds of a landed property in any part of Nigeria, the value of which must not be below N200milion.
The sureties, the court said must depose to an affidavit of means, submit two recent passport photographs to the Deputy Chief Registrar, DCR, Administration, of he high court.
Dokpesi further directed to surrender his international passport, “If already in custody of the EFCC, it should be delivered to the DCR of the Federal High Court in charge of Litigation”.
Meanwhile, Justice Kolawole ordered that Dokpesi should be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
It will be recalled that Dokpesi who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was arraigned before the court on December 11, over alleged N2.1billion fraud.
He is facing trial alongside his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower FM.
Specifically, EFCC, in the charge signed by its Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, alleged that Dokpesi received about N2.1billion from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, for PDP’s presidential media campaign.
According to the charge, the funds were released to the accused persons between October 2014 and March 19, 2015.
The funds were allegedly transferred from an account the office of NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to a FirstBank of Nigeria Plc account owned by DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited
The prosecution maintained that the transaction was in breach of section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and punishable under section 58 (6) and 7 of the same Act, as well as under section 17 (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
Dokpesi had since pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as the court slated February 17, 18 and March 2 and 3, 2016, to begin full-blown hearing on the matter.
ABUJA —The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will today arraign the embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), before an Abuja High Court on fresh charges bordering on alleged illegal diversion of public funds.
Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki
The commission has already secured leave of court to compel Dasuki and eight others, including a former Minister under President Goodluck Jonathan, to enter their plea today before trial Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of the FCT High Court sitting at Maitama.
Others the anti-graft agency dragged before the court over their alleged complicity in a N10 billion fraud, include the former Minister of Finance, Bashir Yuguda and a former Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu.
Equally to be docked before the court today are former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, Sagir Attahiru and a company the EFCC insisted was used to divert huge sums of money from the office of the NSA prior to the 2015 general elections, Dahaltu Investment Limited.
Others are former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa, as well as his companies, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referal Hospital Limited.
ABUJA— The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, adjourned till Monday to consider whether or not the former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, should be released on bail.
Raymond Dokpesi
Dokpesi, who is answering to a six-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is praying the court to grant him bail on self recognition or on most liberal terms.
Moving application for his bail, yesterday, Dokpesi’s lawyer, Mr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, placed reliance on provisions of sections 31, 167 and 168 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, as well as the decided case-law in Abiola vs FRN, to insist that allegations levelled against his client were not such that he could not be released from detention.
He told the court that Dokpesi was scheduled for medical treatment in the United Kingdom before he was arrested by the EFCC on December 1.
Ozekhome tendered into evidence, an appointment letter dated November 30, which was given to Dokpesi by his doctor in the UK.
Aside the letter which showed that Dokpesi was originally scheduled to undergo medical examination at the London hospital on December 4, Ozehkome equally tendered a British Airways reservation ticket showing that his client would have departed Nigeria a day before his arraignment.
Ozekhome told the court that EFCC had on December 3, granted Dokpesi administrative bail, only for it to be cancelled after the accused person had perfected all the conditions that were given to him.
“This is a proper case for my lord to exercise discretion in favour of the applicant to enable him to go and treat himself because if he dies the prosecution will have no one to try.
“Who will go and try Audu Abubakar now? But his case is there! Can they go and exhume his body from his village in Ogbonicha for prosecution?”, Ozekhome queried.
Meantime, the EFCC, yesterday, vehemently opposed Dokpesi’s application for bail.
The agency, via a counter-affidavit filed by its lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that Dokpesi was being investigated over a fresh allegation involving illegal diversion of public funds.
Jacobs told the court that the anti-graft is probing Dokpesi over about N8.4billion he collected from the Federal Government when Nigeria hosted Under-17 World Cup in 2012.
He alleged that though it was the world football body, FIFA, that awarded viewing right for the under-age tournament, he said that Dokpesi went ahead and collected “billions of Naira from the Nigerian government.”
“My lord, there are still other issues, we believe that if granted bail, the accused person has the capacity to scuttle ongoing investigation into the matter,” Jacobs submitted.
After listening to both parties, trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole said he would need time to go through all the processes so as to decide whether or not he will accede to the bail application.
While adjourning ruling till Monday, Justice Kolawole ordered that Dokpesi should remain in the custody of the EFCC until his application is determined.
ABUJA — The Federal Government, yesterday, slammed 43-count charge on former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd); former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa and his son, Sagir.
Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki
Others charged with them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on behalf of the Federal Government are: High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Daar Communications Plc and Daar Investment and Holdings Limited; former Finance Director in the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu and Aminu Baba Kusa.
Other suspects charged by the anti-graft agency are private companies said to have received huge sums from the ONSA without any clear and specified reasons.
They are: Acacia Holdings Limited, Reliance Referral Hospital Limited and Dalhatu Investments Limited.
A breakdown of the charges, which Vanguard obtained last night, showed that the former NSA, Dasuki, Shauibu Salisu, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited were slammed with a total of 19 charges bordering on money laundering, diversion of public funds and breach of public trust among others.
Similarly, Bashir Yuguda, Sambo Dasuki, Shuaibu Salisu, Dalhatu Investment Ltd, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafarawa were charged with 22 counts.
High Chief Dokpesi and his company, Daar Investment and Holdings Limited were slammed with two counts each.
The cases have been filed with the Federal High Court but not yet assigned to any judge, according to findings by our correspondent.
Vanguard had reported exclusively on Monday that the EFCC was set to press charges against the suspects this week but did not specify the date.
The agency had used most part of last Sunday grilling the suspects and confronting them with details of the illicit transactions that made the Federal Government to lose huge sums of money.
Dasuki has already challenged the Federal Government for trying to investigate and bring him to book for the alleged offence and breach of his fundamental rights.
The case is before Justice Ademola Adeniyi.
Also, Dokpesi in an ex-parte application he filed through his lawyer, Mr. Mike Ozehkome, SAN, urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms, pending his formal arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Instead of granting the motion, Justice Kolawole, in a chamber ruling last Friday, ordered Dokpesi’s lawyer to go and put the Federal Government on notice, even as he adjourned the matter till December 14.
The court also directed EFCC to produce Dokpesi before it on that day.
However, few hours after the order was made, EFCC granted administrative bail to Dokpesi.
In his application dated December 3, Dokpesi told the court that he was detained for more than 48 hours without the EFCC entering any charge against him.
Ozehkome told the court that his client was on December 1 summoned via the telephone to report to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He said Dokpesi has since then remained in custody on the anti-graft agency, adding that he was grilled for so many hours despite the fact that he did not have fore knowledge of why he was wanted by the EFCC.
ABUJA — The special team raised by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the disbursement of $2.2 billion arms contract deal in the office of the former National Security Adviser, yesterday, confronted the major suspects with evidence of their illicit transactions.
Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki
The 27-member task force, which has Ibrahim Magu as a member, spent most part of the day to grill the suspects and asked them to speak up on any aspect of the transactions where their names or those who allegedly fronted for them, appeared.
The extended questioning of the high profile suspects, our correspondent learned, was to prepare the ground for their arraignment this week.
However, Vanguard could not obtain a specific date of the week when the suspects are likely to be docked and the specific charges to be pressed against them.
It was gathered that the commission had outsmarted the key suspects by first securing a court order to detain them beyond the stipulated 48-hour threshold, thereby making it more difficult for their lawyers to secure their early release.
A top source said most of the suspects, who had earlier attempted to deny their involvement in the arms deal, were dumbfounded when confronted with concrete evidence of all the transactions they had made in the office of the ex-NSA.
“Many of the suspects, who were claiming ignorance of collecting huge sums of money from the office of the ex-NSA, were tongue tied when we brought them to face each other. I think they will soon appear in court to tell the world why they went to the ONSA to sign and collect huge sums of public money that was not meant for the purposes they were given,” an EFCC source said.
The Dokpesi family yesterday contradicted the claim by Daar Communications PLC that the N2.1 billion received by its patriarch and founder of the company, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, was for political campaigns.
Raymond Dokpesi
The money, the family said in a statement last night, was payment for “the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”
It also accused the Buhari government of seeking to decimate political opponents.
Dokpesi is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is investigating the disbursement of $2.2 billion budgeted for arms procurement by the Jonathan Administration.
The N2.1billion collected by Dokpesi is believed to have come from the arms budget.
Daar Communication had, in an earlier statement, said the money was payment for “the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship”.
The Dokpesis, however, contradicted this claim yesterday saying, in a statement signed by Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, that the N2.1billion was indeed for a proposal by Daar Investment and Holdings Company Ltd to “promote and project the achievements and highlight the challenges of his (Jonathan’s) government whilst demystifying false information gleefully circulated by the propaganda machinery of the then opposition party.”
The proposal, the family said, was submitted to the former president in person by Mr. Dokpesi and his team in the presence of former Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
It declared, “We must further emphasise that the proposal had absolutely nothing to do with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), nor the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).”
It also said the proposal was “thoroughly studied, approved and paid for by the presidency through the office of the National Security Adviser.”
It claimed that the office of the NSA “has multiple budgetary sub-heads including for communication and information.”
The family accused the Buhari government of embarking on a “wide scale propaganda, misinformation and brazen falsehood just to achieve its objective of decimating its perceived political opponents and supporters of the previous administration.”
It challenged government to thoroughly investigate all political and economic crimes “before embarking on a media trial and sentencing even before the law courts of Nigeria have an opportunity to adjudicate.”
The family described its patriarch as a law-abiding and consummate patriot “who has served Nigeria to the best of his ability,” adding, “for the avoidance of doubt, Dr. Dokpesi has never applied nor bided for a contract for the purchase of arms, nor has he ever been registered with the Ministry of Defence for the similar objective of engaging in the supply of arms for the government.”
A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to stop terrorizing his people and save his intimidating tactics for Boko Haram.
Femi Fani-Kayode
“My message to President Buhari is simple and clear: stop terrorizing your own people and save your terror waves and gestapo tactics for Boko Haram,” Fani-Kayode said.
Fani-Kayode condemned the arrest of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, Chief raymond Dokpesi, Attahiru Bafawara, Nnamdi Kanu, and others.
He confirmed that he had seen Dasuki before his arrest, saying that he is really sick and not allowing him to see his doctor his tantamount to killing him
The former Aviation Minister who expressed his views on his Facebook wall on Thursday said the way the SSS fired gunshot at Colonel Kayode at his home is unacceptable and dangerous.
His words “As far as I am concerned they are trying to kill him simply by denying him the right to see his doctors even though they know that he is very sick. If this were not the case then why are they indulging in all this dangerous and reckless drama.
President Buhari
“He was barricaded in his home against court orders and treated like an animal for three weeks.
“He was humiliated and subjected to mental and psychological torture for no just cause for that period of time even though the courts had told the SSS to let him travel out of the country for urgent medical attention.
“Instead of doing so after three tortuous weeks the SSS stormed his home, held everyone captive at gunpoint, grabbed him in front of his family, bundled him in a car and carried him to an unknown destination without any lawful authority or any arrest warrant.”
“If they want to prosecute him that is fair enough but at least they should ensure that he stays well and that he remains alive and that they don’t kill him. You cannot prosecute a dead body and you cannot charge a man to court after he is dead.
“I saw Dasuki on various occasions before his arrest and I assure you that he really is very ill. What harm could have been done by allowing him to see his doctor as the courts ordered? Does he not have the right to live and get medical treatment?
“Is it not clear that there is more to this than meets the eye? Why are people remaining silent when this is a clear case of vendetta, vengeance, wickedness, injustice and a crude attempt to destroy, silence and kill an innocent man ? It is Dasuki today but it could be anyone else tomorrow.
“The truth is that the Buhari government is playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette with a loaded gun and if they are not careful it will soon explode. If they are not careful they will soon lose the confidence and trust of the people.
“They do not fear God. They are vindictive, petty, vicious, unforgiving and unjust and if they continue in this way apart from alienating the people they run the risk of provoking the wrath of God.
“If they have any evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Dasuki or anyone else then they should present it in court rather than on the pages of newspapers and if they wish to charge anyone they should go ahead and do so in a lawful, proper and civilized manner.”
Fani Kayode considered the treatment melted on Colonel Kayode Are, the former D-G of SSS during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration is worrisome.
“I have just spoken to Colonel Kayode Are, the former D-G of SSS during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and the former Acting National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan and I am deeply concerned.
“He told me that his house is under siege and that gunshots are being fired at him and his family as we were speaking.
“I am not sure what the issue is about but a situation where security men go to the home of a respected patriot like that and start shooting at him and his family for whatever reason is unacceptable and extremely dangerous.
“When you consider what is happening in Are’s home and marry with the shameful manner in which Colonel Sambo Dasuki, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Governor Attahiru Bafawara, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, Nnamdi Kanu, Godswill Orubebe, Bukola Saraki, Sule Lamido and others are being persecuted, threatened and demonised by the Federal Government it is clear that we are now in a police state in which law and order has broken down and in which anything can happen.
Fani-Kayode warned that the era of intimidation is over, adding that Nigerians can stand up against civilian dictatorship.
“The era of witchhunting and demonising people and attempting to cower and subdue them into silence are long over. Those of us that oppose this government can never be intimidated or silenced because God is with us.
“If we could stand up against military dictatorship in the past, we can stand up against civilian dictatorship today. Anything outside of prosecuting people in a lawful manner and according to due process is barbaric and unacceptable and our President needs to be reminded that he is not running a military government but a democratic one.
“This attempt to silence us with guns, bullets, threats of arrest and prosecution, violence, storming of homes, locking up of relatives, kidnapping of citizens, shameful lies, baseless allegations, demonisation in the media and disinformation will not work.
“They do not have enough prisons to silence the voice of the Nigerian people or to break their spirit and no-one is intimidated by the governments evil tactics and wicked ways.” He concluded.
The People Democratic Party, PDP has condemned the arrest of the former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television and Ray Power FM, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, saying it was aware that more “notable PDP leaders have similarly been listed for arrest over unproven allegations.
Raymond Dokpesi
The former ruling party alleged that this move was “pursuant to the plot by the APC to cow and silence opposition in the country.”
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday, the PDP said “the military style of pronouncement of guilt on Chief Dokpesi before any fair hearing, betrays the fact that he is a victim of political persecution and mob trial by the APC government.”
It added, “While the PDP is not against the war against corruption, we insist that the crusade must be carried out within the limits of the law and not as a guise to persecute and torture opposition elements in the country.
“Our fear is that with the pronouncement of guilt even without being given the opportunity as a citizen to state his own side of the story, the President Buhari-led government is sidestepping the laws to ensure that Chief Dokpesi does not get justice in the court, a plot which they want to extend to other PDP leaders.
Meanwhile, Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday distanced himself from the arms deal, said to be about N60bn, involving the immediate past NSA.
Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said contrary to report published in an online medium, he had never had anything to do with the purchase of security equipment.
He equally denied being a member of any committee or body, which had any link with defence or national security in his entire political career.
The statement reads in part, “As a member of the Seventh Senate, Dr. Saraki was not a member of any of the committees which have oversight function on the Ministry of Defence or the intelligence and national security apparatus.
“If he was tagged the leader of the opposition to the Jonathan administration, how then would he be privy to arms purchases and have the influence to blackmail any government agency or institution over the release of funds?
“The Senate President would like to alert members of the public to this new plot by this particular online medium to tarnish his reputation as the medium and its sponsors pursue the singular objective of removing him from the office of the Senate President, an objective they have since failed to achieve within and outside the National Assembly.
“This time round, the medium and its sponsors chose to drag the Senate President to this reigning and current issue of arms purchase by insinuating that he once blackmailed the Central Bank of Nigeria to give him and other Senators N250m as a way of covering up the arbitrary withdrawal by the NSA from the security fund approved by the former President.
“First, there is no logic in the claim as Saraki, who was persecuted by the last administration, could have had the influence and good standing to walk up to the Central Bank to demand any money, having exposed many atrocities of the past administration.
“Therefore, for record purposes, Saraki did not collect any money from any official of the CBN in respect of any arms deal.”
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday asked the Minister in charge of the nation’s capital, Mohammed Bello, to begin the installation of bomb detectors in all the mass transit buses plying the city as part of measures to curb insurgency.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Dino Melaye, who stated this at its inaugural sitting in Abuja, also asked the FCT minister to ensure that streetlights started working immediately in order to prevent the high rate of crime and accidents at night.
He also frowned on the return of commercial motorcyclists and cattle rearers to the city centre.
Apart from this, Melaye appealed to the minister to order the removal of erected tents and shanties, abandoned vehicles and total evacuation of garbage, commercial or begging activities on pedestrian bridges.
He said, “The security challenges we are facing in the FCT cannot be overemphasised. Abuja, by its conception and design, is expected to be a safe haven for all residents, considering its status as the seat of the Federal Government.
“This is indeed worrisome. The financial loss of any attacks can best be imagined but the loss of human lives is unquantifiable and inexcusable.”
A former spokesperson to former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on Monday reacted to claims by the Chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, that the candidacy of Jonathan was in error.
Doyin Okupe
Okupe who took to his Facebook page to react, affirmed that the decision by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pick his ex-boss was in order, stating however, that the only error by the PDP administration was their failure to sack the immediate-past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, despite his alleged political leaning.
Okupe, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said: “The impression created in the media recently that the candidacy of Jonathan was an error is itself a grand fallacy which totally undermined the whole truth about the sanctity and correctness of the wisdom of the PDP National Executive Committee which made and ratified that decision.
“All over the world, when an incumbent signifies intention for a second term, it is customary that the established machinery of the party wholly backs and gratifies such intentions.
“If any error was made, it was firstly the failure of the PDP administration to sack the unfair and compromised electoral officer who was allowed to conduct the election in spite of his obvious and profuse partisanship.
“The second error was the inexplicable acquiescence of the PDP government to the use of the infamous Card Reader which was skillfully manipulated to the disadvantage of the PDP presidential candidate.
“The third error of the PDP was to have fielded a good, God-fearing and patriotic man who in spite of his enormous power, the avalanche of deployable arsenal of war at his disposal, transformed himself to be the victim and refused to fight so that his countrymen may live and his nation survived. The situation in Burundi today is highly instructive.
“Certainly history will treat Goodluck Jonathan as one of the greatest heroes of this generation of African leaders. Definitely not an error by any stretch of imagination.
“I speak today not as a spokesman for President Jonathan. An episode and a proud chapter of my life which has since come to a Close. Rather I speak as a student of History and a veritable stakeholder in the Nigerian project,” said Okupe.
The proprietor of Daar Communications PLC, Raymond Dokpesi, has stated that Monday’s decision by the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to bar one of its subsidiaries, Africa Independent Television, from covering his activities was an attempt by the former military Head of State to bring back the era of Decree 4.
Mr. Dokpesi said Mr. Buhari lacks the power to stop the AIT from covering his activities, as doing so would amount to breaking the law.
Mr. Buhari as Head of State promulgated Decree 4, tagged Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) on March 29, 1984.
The law was drafted to punish authors of false statements and reports that exposed the Buhari administration and/or its officials to ridicule or contempt. Many journalists were arrested and jailed under the law.
Mr. Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday reversed the decision of the president-elect to stop AIT, saying all accredited media houses are free to report on his activities.
But speaking exclusively to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday, Mr. Dokpesi stated that Mr. Buhari should be reminded that he cannot return Nigeria to the era of Decree 4.
“I am sure that the President-elect needs to be reminded of Decree 4, and he should be clearly reminded that section 32 of the constitution makes it mandatory for the media to hold public officials accountable to the people,” he said.
He also said Section 39 of the constitution equally grants Nigerians the freedom of expression and to hold opinion.
“The president-elect said that he does not want to be covered by AIT, but AIT has a responsibility to the Nigerian public to report the things that are happening,” he said.
“There are three national networks available for national coverage in Nigeria, the NTA, AIT and Silverbirds. You cannot stop a foremost private station from reporting in Nigeria, it brings us back to Decree 4 era.”
Mr. Dokpesi also acknowledged that Mr. Buhari may have taken his decision based the documentaries ran by the station during the electioneering campaign.
He said Daar Communications is a commercial entity and therefore reserves the right to run anything it considers worthy of being televised. He said there is also a right of response available to anyone who feels strongly about any matter broadcast by the station.
“If they had produced their own documentary to say this is what we want and AIT did not publish it, then that is another matter,” he said.
“What is obviously very clear is the fact that AIT believes that the historical information about the President elect that were ran, were factually correct. Nothing was done to defame him or impinge on his character or integrity.”
Mr. Dokpesi also added that another documentary about one of the national leaders of APC, Bola Tinubu were also factually correct.
The media proprietor said although the documentaries were produced outside of Daar communications, “We take responsibility for the running of these items and I as an individual is satisfied because due diligence was followed in ensuring that the things that are contained were factually right”.
ABUJA—Media mogul, Aleogho Raymond Dokpesi, yesterday, refuted the claim by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State that he (Dokpesi) went to the state on election day to induce voters with money to vote in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He expressed disappointment with the attitude of the governor towards him on the said day, saying he had mistaken Oshiomhole for a decent man.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Dokpesi, who insisted that he was in the state on a different mission, regretted the comment by the governor, adding: “I made a mistake in my life in believing that Oshiomhele was a decent man.”
Dokpesi said that on the day of the presidential election, at 5:20p.m., on his way back to Abuja, he received a distress call from one of the women leaders in Auchi, Hajia Hadiza Umoru, who said she was at Aibotse/Igbe Primary School, off Igbe Road in Auchi, adding that the incident led to him being shot at on the day of Presidential and National Assembly elections.
He said the bullets fired at his armoured Landcruiser vehicle would have hit him on the neck.
“As soon as I arrived the APC chieftain absconded and we waited for the reinforcement of policemen to protect the voters who were determined to vote. I stayed in my armoured Landcruiser vehicle with registration number Abuja YAB 173 HG. I never stepped out of the vehicle as everyone could attest to.
“A man who was later identified as the zonal chairman of the APC, then called on their supporters to kill, burn and destroy the vehicle I was in. I pleaded that none of the military officers should shoot as thugs/hoodlums had begun to shoot at my car and haul various dangerous weapons at me.”
