Appeal court acquits Dokpesi of money laundering charges

The Court of Appeal 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 breach of
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.

In two unanimous judgments on Thursday, a three- man panel of
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 on Thursday, Justice Elfreda
Wiialims-Daudu held the prosecution did not make out a prima facie
case against the appellants and did not also establish the elements
of the offences charge to warrant the appellants to be called upon
to enter defence.

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).

At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, after calling 14
witnesses, Dokpesi and his firm made no-case submissions, which
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.

The Court of Appeal 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 breach of
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.

In two unanimous judgments on Thursday, a three- man panel of
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 on Thursday, Justice Elfreda
Wiialims-Daudu held the prosecution did not make out a prima facie
case against the appellants and did not also establish the elements
of the offences charge to warrant the appellants to be called upon
to enter defence.

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).

At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, after calling 14
witnesses, Dokpesi and his firm made no-case submissions, which
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.