N2.1bn Arms Deal: FG Defeated as Court of Appeal Frees Dokpesi, Firm
- The chairman of Daar Communication, Raymond Dokpesi has been freed by the court
- Appeal court sitting in Abuja granted freedom to Dokpesi in a unanimous judgement by the 3-man panel of the court
- Dokpesi was alleged to have breached the procurement act in relation to the N2.1billion arms deal
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The appeal court sitting in Abuja has discharged politician and media owner, Raymond Dokpesi and his firm, Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited, of the charges of money laundering.
The Nation reports that Dokpesi breached the procurement act in relation to disbursement of the N2.1billion meant for arms purchase while Col Sambo Dasuki was the National Security Adviser (NSA) in 2014.
Legit.ng gathered that in two unanimous judgments on Thursday, April 1, a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal upholds the two appeals by Dokpesi and Daar Investment and proceeded to set aside an earlier ruling of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which rejected the no-case submissions made by the appellants.
Reading the judgments, Justice Elfreda Wiialims-Daudu held that the prosecution did not make out a prima facie case against the appellants and did not also establish the elements of the offences charged to warrant the appellants to be called upon to enter defence.
The Punch also reports that Dokpesi and Daar Investment were being tried before the Federal High Court on a seven-count charge of money laundering and breach of Procurement Act by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a ruling on November 24, 2018 rejected and ordered them to enter their defence, a decision Dokpesi and Daar Investment appealed.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that a former lawmaker who represented the Kogi West senatorial district at the Senate during the eight National Assembly, Dino Melaye petitioned Governor Yahaya Bello.
It was reported that the former senator and his group, the Anti Corruption Network on Wednesday, March 31, visited the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Abuja to submit more evidence against Governor Bello.
In a tweet made by Melaye after the submission of the petition, the activist expressed satisfaction about the investigation by the EFCC.
Source: Legit.ng
