Doyin Okupe, the Director-General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign, has been convicted of money laundering.
A Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Okupe on Monday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned him in 2019 on a 59-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and diversion of N702 million.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who gave the verdict, ruled that Okupe breached the Money Laundering Act.
In the judgement, the judge held that Okupe was found guilty of contravening Sections 16(1) & (2) of the Money Laundering Act for accepting cash payments without going through a financial institution above the threshold allowed under the Act.
Okupe was said to have received N240 million in cash from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).
Okupe’s wife and son, Omolola and Adesunkanmi Okupe, begged the court to tamper justice with mercy on Okupe’s sentencing.
The duo spoke as witnesses shortly after the court reconvened following the defendant’s conviction.
Besides the wife and the son that testified to Okupe’s good character and honesty before the court, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife and former Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Idi Farouk, also gave their evidence and appealed for leniency.
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