Money Laundering: Okupe Pays N13m, Escapes Two-year Jail

Dr Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was on Monday found guilty of receiving over N200m cash from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd). 

 He was therefore sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja with an option of N500, 000 fine on each of the 26 count charges for which he was found guilty.

 Delivering her judgment, Justice Ojukwu held that Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission violated the Money Laundering Act. 

 She said he had up to 4.30 pm to pay the fine option totalling N13m on all the charges he was found guilty of or be sent to the Kuje Correctional Centre.

 Shortly after his conviction, Okupe’s counsel, Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy because the defendant was a first-time offender, a family man who is also advanced in age and having health challenges that he is currently treating in Nigeria and outside the country. 

 The Punch however gathered that Okupe succeeded in paying his fine before the deadline and was allowed to go. A source said, “Okupe has paid; they returned with the bank papers around 4.25pm. 

The court processed it, and everybody signed, including the EFCC lawyer.” Shortly after his release, Okupe tweeted, “God is not man. The enemies have tried in so many ways but kept on failing. Victory is of God.”