On Monday, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Senior Special Adviser (SSA), Dr. Doyin Okupe, was found guilty by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court of receiving over N200 million in cash from Col. Dasuki Sambo
Goldennewsng reports that in his judgment, Justice Ojukwu said that Okupe’s actions were against the Money Laundering Act because he was the first defendant in the suit brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge ruled that “there is no evidence that the money passed through a financial institution,” despite the fact that the Act states that “no individual or organization shall receive any sum above N5 million and N10 million respectively without passing through a financial institution.”
Justice Ojuwku asserted that the NSA was not a financial institution and that, even if the President was said to have authorized the funds, he did not specify that they must be paid in cash, which would be in violation of the Money Laundering Act.
“I find the first defendant, Dr. Doyin Okupe guilty in count 34, 35, 36… 59,” the court concluded as a result.
However, due to the prosecution’s failure to prove the NSA’s charges of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and corruption, the judge found the defendants not guilty on counts 1 through 33.
Okupe was found guilty on all 34 to 59 counts of receiving money ranging from N10 million from 2012 to 2015 while serving as President Jonathan’s Special Assistant.
He claimed that the aforementioned sum was used for office administration, employee compensation, and image laundering of the former president and his administration.
Yet, the court, nonetheless, held that getting such sums in real money abused the Tax evasion Act.
His attorney, Mr. Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to tamper with justice with mercy shortly after his client’s conviction on the grounds that the defendant was a first-time offender, a family man who is also elderly and has health issues that he is currently treating in Nigeria and abroad.
Citing Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Oronsaye requested that the case be set aside so that he could call witnesses who could attest to Okupe’s good character.
Legal counselors to the second and third litigants likewise loan their voices in the request for kindness, adding that the convict was a simple casualty of conditions.
Albeit the solicitation was gone against by indictment legal counselor, Mr Audu Ibrahim, the adjudicator, be that as it may, remained down the make a difference to empower the litigant call his observers prior to giving over her sentence.
