A prosecution witness in the trial of Raymond Dokpesi, former Chairman of DAAR
Communications Plc, on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 told Justice John Tsoho of the
Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how over N2.1billion was credited to the
account of DAAR Communications Holdings Plc by the Office of National Security
Adviser, ONSA, under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).
Dokpesi is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on a six-count charge alongside his firm, DAAR Investment
Holdings Ltd, for alleged involvement in the diversion of billions of naira
meant for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency in the North-East.
The witness, Zainab Ibrahim Kokobili, a relationship manager at
First Bank, told the court that, “N500million was credited into the account of
DAAR Communications Holdings Plc on January 22, 2015 from the ONSA.
According to Kokobili, who was led in evidence by counsel to EFCC,
Oluwaleke Atolagbe from the chambers of Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, “High Chief Raymond
Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi and Raymond Paul Dokpesi were the signatories to the
account”. She added that any of them had the mandate instruction to sign.
The witness told the court that she was invited to the EFCC in Lagos,
where she made statements and presented some documents.
She added that prior to January 22, 2015, the balance in the
account was N113,585.28.
On other payments into the account, Kokobili stated that, on
February 4, 2015 another sum of N500million was paid into the account of DAAR Communications
by ONSA. She also added that N620million and N500million were paid into the
account on February 9, 2015 and March 19, 2015 respectively from the same
source.
Bundle of documents which include statement of account of DAAR
Communications, account opening package and certificate of identification were
presented and admitted as “Exhibit B”, while bank transfer instructions in
respect of the account, letter to EFCC Chairman forwarding the documents were
all admitted as “Exhibit C”.
Under cross-examination by Dokpesi’s counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN,
Kokobili told the court that First Bank accepted DAAR Communications Holdings
Plc because it believed its operations are legitimate and did not see anything
wrong with the company until it was invited by EFCC. She also told the court
that she had no idea why “these monies” were paid into the account of DAAR
Communications and Holdings Plc.
The case has been adjourned to May 24 and 25, 2017 for further hearing.
No comments:
Post a Comment