A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday granted bail to
Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistance to ex-President
Goodluck Jonathan, in the sum of N100 million.
Okupe, who was dragged to the court by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is facing a 59-count charge
bordering on money laundering involving several millions of
naira.
Justice I.L Ojukwu, who granted the bail, ordered the suspect to
produce one surety in like sum.
The judge ordered that the surety must have landed properties
within the jurisdiction of the court.
He also ordered that the accused person must deposit his
international passports with the court’s Registrar,”according to
thisdaylive”.
Granting the defendant’s application for bail, Justice Ojukwu
held that the court possessed the discretion in granting bail,
which must be exercised judicially and judiciously.
Ojukwu then adjourned the case to February 27, 28 and March 6
for trial.
The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was
read to him.
According to the details of charges the accused had, between
August 3, 2012, and October 8, 2014, in Abuja, allegedly used
different companies to commit the offenses.
After the change sheet was read ,counsel to the defendant, Tolu
Babaleye, in application, prayed the court to grant the accused
bail on liberal terms since he was still presumed innocent.
Objecting to the bail application, counsel to the EFCC, Ibrahim
Audu, argued that the court should not grant the accused bail
because he had jumped bail when he was granted administrative bail
by the commission in 2016.
He said Okupe was later tracked to his country home in Lagos
State last year by the commission.
Read more doyin-okupe-gets-n100m-bail/
The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC has been drawn to the falsehood which has been spreading on
the social media that the EFCC has arrested the Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen. This is not only a figment of the
imagination of the purveyor of the fake news, but an evil
machination by the creator and carriers of the news aimed at
creating anarchy in the country.
For the record, the EFCC never went to the house of the CJN for
arrest neither was invitation extended to him.
Several calls and short messages received all point to the fact
that the brains behind the fake news had one thing in mind: to act
as agent of destabilization. We would not give in to their
plots.
One of the architect of the fake news, Femi Fani-Kayode, was
quoted as saying “Why have the EFCC surrounded the home of CJN
Onnoghen and why are they seeking to arrest him? These people want
Nigeria to burn! Buhari call off your dogs before it is too late!
This is a democracy and not a gestapo state! In the name of God let
this madness stop”. Another arrowhead of the fake news, Yinka
Odumakin shared a non-existent video which has gone viral.
We want to assure Nigerians that while we would fight corruption
in line with the mandate setting up the Commission, agents of
darkness, in the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode, Yinka Odumakin and his
cohorts, would never be able to manipulate the people against the
Commission.
We also want to assure Fani-Kayode, Yinka Odumakin and other
purveyors of the evil news to be ready to defend their actions in
the court of law as the EFCC will file libel suit against them
without further delay.
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity