Justice Ijeoma Ojuwku of the Federal High Court, Abuja has adjourned
the trial of a former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to
former president, Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, to March 6, 2019.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on January
14, 2019 arraigned Okupe on a 59-count charge bordering on “money
laundering and criminal diversion of funds” to the tune of N702 million.
At the resumed sitting, on February 28, 2019 Osas Azonabor, an
operative of the EFCC, testifying as the first prosecution witness, was
cross-examined by defence counsel, Joe Kyari Gadzama, SAN.
Azonabor had on February 27, 2019 while being led in evidence by
counsel for the EFCC, Ibrahim Audu, narrated how sometime in 2016, the
EFCC got intelligence that some individuals were paid by the Office of
the National Security Adviser (ONSA), for “doing nothing”.
He further told the court that investigations revealed that Okupe was
one of the beneficiaries. He also added that after analysing payment
vouchers, it was realised that cash payment of N50 million was made into
Okupe’s account on April 8, 2014. Analysis of several other vouchers
also revealed several of such payments.
Under cross-examination by Gadzama, the prosecution witness told the
Court that during investigations, Okupe gave investigators, “so many
documents” that were analysed.
Specifically, when the defence counsel put it to him that payments as
shown on the voucher were for “special services”, Azonabor replied that
the findings proved otherwise. “When we asked Okupe further about the
payments, he said he did not render any special service,” he said.
