Frozen account: Court fixes August 3 for judgment on Dokpsei’s suit with EFCC

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, on Monday fixed August 3 for judgment on an application by the chairman emeritus of Daar Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, seeking an order of the court to unfreeze his bank account, a decision sought and enforced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) without any guilt.

Justice Tsoho had taken arguments from counsels to both parties in the suit on Monday. Dokpesi is being represented by  Kanu Agabi, SAN;  while Oluwaleke Atolagbe is counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Agabi, arguing the application, had requested the court to issue an order to unfreeze Dokpesi’s bank account, which was frozen because of the charges by the EFCC against him. arguing the application. Agabi told the court that the criminal charges on the N2.1 billion allegation against Dokpesi by the EFCC had since been quashed, adding that Dokpesi had also been discharged by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. Agabi noted that the charge no longer exists in any court of law.

He noted that the EFCC has not obtained a stay of execution of the Appeal Court Judgement; arguing that “therefore, has no legal stand to continue to place freezing order on the defendant’s account.” The counsel to Dokpesi submitted two judgements of the Court of Appeal to substantiate his argument.

Counsel to the EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, made a counter argument that the commission is already on appeal and has filed a notice of appeal on the judgement. Atolagbe demanded the court not to issue order to unfreeze the account until the final decision of the Supreme Court.

Agabi had earlier requested the court to release Dokpesi’s documents.

The EFCC counsel, however, argued that there was no specification, adding that the Department of Security Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) made identified as co-respondents in the case, are not before the court; adding that “as such, the court cannot make valid order against them.”

Justice Tsoho, after taking the listening to the arguments, fixed August 3 for judgement on the suit.

Dokpesi was being prosecuted in conjunction with the Daar Investment and Holdings Limited on the allegation of receiving N2.1 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser, between October 2014 and March 2015 for the PDP campaign 2015. The allegation was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.