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How Dokpesi amassed N2.1bn for presidential campaigns in 3 months – Witness

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Mrs. Zainab Ibrahim-Kokobili, a relationship manager with Matiama, Abuja branch of First Bank Plc, on Wednesday testified how Chief Raymond Dokpesi, got a whooping sum of N2.1billion within three months during the last presidential campaign.

She explained that the sum was released to the founder of African Independent Television (AIT), Dokpesi, from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) between January and March 2015.

The witness, who is the third prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Dokpesi and his firm, Daar Investment and Holdings Limited, made this disclosure before a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice John Tsoho.

The charges levelled against Dokpesi and his firm by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) border on the N2.1billion they received from ONSA.

Ibrahim-Kokobili, who was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Oluwaleke Atolagbe, disclosed that the alleged money was paid by ONSA into the account of Daar Investments and Holdings Limited’s First Bank account, to which Dokpesi was said to be a signatory.

The witness said she had been Daar Investments and Holding Limited’s account officer at First Bank since November 2014.

She noted in the company’s statement of account she read before the court that N2.12billion was paid into the account in four tranches of N500m, N500m, N620m and N500m between January and March 2015.

She added that the balance on the company’s account was N113, 885.28 before the first tranche of N500m was paid into the account on January 22, 2015.

She further disclosed that the defendant and his son, Paul, were the two signatories to the account of Daar Investments and Holdings Limited.

“Going by the nature of the mandate on the account, either of the two signatories could singly give instruction to draw money from it” she said, adding that the sum of N2.12billion was disbursed from Daar Investments and Holdings Limited after receiving instructions from Dokpesi.

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Under cross examination by counsel to the defendant, Kanu Agabi, the witness explained that she was not aware when the company’s account was opened.

She however confirmed that the account was already in existence before the payment of N2.12billion was paid into it.

She also said that she regarded a payment by ONSA into an account as legitimate.

When the prosecuting counsel, Atolagbe, re-examined the witness on whether the bank “determines” the legitimacy of payments made into a customer’s account, the witness said, “at the point of credit, the bank would not know”.

The case was later adjourned till May 24 and 25, 2017 for further trial.

EFCC is prosecuting the defendants on a six-count charge of money laundering and other charges relating to procurement fraud against Dokpesi and Daar Investments for allegedly receiving N2.12billion from ONSA to prosecute Peoples Democratic Party’s 2015 presidential media campaign.

 

 

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