The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Doyin Okupe, for allegedly breaching the Money Laundering Act.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in a judgment delivered sentenced Okupe to two years imprisonment or an option of N500, 000 on each of the 26 count charges for which he was found guilty.
Okupe, who is the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Labour Party (LP) was said to have received hundreds of millions in cash from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) while Col. Sambo Dasuki (retired) was in office.
Justice Ojukwu, on Monday found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for accepting cash payments without going through the financial institution, in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act.
Judge held that the action of Okupe, who is the first defendant in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) violated the Money Laundering Act, has up to 4:30 pm on Monday to pay the fine option, totalling the sum of N13 million on all the charges he was found guilty or be sent the Kuje Correctional Center.
Justice Ojukwu, in sentencing Okupe, considered the pleadings for leniency from the wife of the convict, Omolola Okupe and that of his son Adesunkanmi Okupe and the alocutus by his counsel.
(The Nation/Tribune)
