The Department of State Services (DSS) has, in a swift riposte, explained its arrest of Dr. Doyin Okupe, erstwhile Director-General of Labour Party Presidential Candidate’s (Peter Obi/Datti Ahmed) Campaign Organisation.
The DSS said its arrest of Okupe was at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The agency’s spokesperson, Dr. Peter Afunanya, articulated the agency’s response to the development
The statement read; “Doyin Okupe was intercepted by the DSS at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos this morning at the instance of the EFCC. He has long been handed over to the Commission which requested the action. Okupe was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic.”
Meanwhile, Dr Doyin Okupe said in a tweet that he was arrested in error, but will soon be released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as soon as it is satisfied with the details of his freedom.
Federal High Court in Abuja, jailed Doyin Okupe, for two years with an option of fine for money laundering when he was also a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Delivering the judgment, the judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, held that Mr Okupe was guilty of contravening sections 16(1) and (2) of the Money Laundering Act, for receiving cash payments without going through a bank, in excess of the threshold statutorily allowed. Mr Okupe was found guilty on a total of 26 counts – from counts 34 to 59 of the charges.
The judge sentenced Mr Okupe to two years in prison on count 34 with an option of a fine of N500,000 which came to N14 million. He had since paid and freed.
Conclave NG and Newspot