Atiku Campaign Organisation’s spokesman arraigned

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a spokesman of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign organisation, over allegations of fraud.

Doyin Okupe was before a federal high court sitting in Abuja on Monday, on a 59-count charge of money laundering and diversion of funds to the tune of N702 million.

Okupe, who was a media aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, along with two companies – Value Trust Investment Ltd and Abrahams Telecoms Ltd.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Dr. Doyin Okupe, being the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan from July 2012 to May 2015, and being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, and a signatory to the bank account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd, on or about the 3rd October, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly took possession or control of the sum of N35 million, transferred to the account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria purporting to be for special services when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity”.

Okupe, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Tolu Babaleiye, his counsel, prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail on self recognizance.

But Ibrahim Audu, prosecuting counsel, argued against the bail, saying “the defendant was given administrative bail after he volunteered his statement, but thereafter he was nowhere to be found until December 2018 in Lagos”.

Audu asked the court to consider “the gravity of the punishment in the event of conviction on the charges brought against the defendant”.

The judge granted Okupe bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.

He said the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, and must have landed properties which must also be within the jurisdiction of the court, among other requirements.

He adjourned the case to February 27 for commencement of trial.