Alleged N2.1bn ONSA Fraud: Court Orders Dokpesi to Open Defence

Raymond Dokpesi, pioneer Chairman, Daar Communications Plc, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC before Justice John Tsoho of a Federal High Court, Abuja has been ordered to open his defence on February 20, 2019.

Dokpesi alongside DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower are being prosecuted by the EFCC, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust.

He is alleged to have received N2.1billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, between October 2014 and March 2015, during tenure of Col Sambo Dasuki (retd) as NSA for services not rendered.

The EFCC had through its 12th witness, Abubakar Aliyu Madaki, led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, stressed that the defendant “did not do any contract but was paid”.

However, rather than open its case, the media mogul had through his counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, filed a "no-case" submission arguing that his client had no case to answer in the alleged fraud.

At today's proceeding, Justice Tsoho, after going through all the arguments and counter-arguments, dismissed his "no-case" application and ordered him to open his defence at the next adjourned date.

“I hereby strike out the application,” the judge said, stressing that Dokpesi's claim that he had no case to answer could not be substantiated and so was a false claim.