Court detain dokpesi till on 14th of this month

A Federal High Court, Abuja has again, ordered
that Raymond Dokpesi be detained in the custody
of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) pending ruling in his bail
application on Dec. 14.
Dokpesi, the former chairman of DAAR
Investment and Holdings Ltd., is
standing trial on a six-count-charge
bordering on money laundering and
contract fraud to the tune of N2.1billion.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole gave the order
for the remand of the defendant, after
lawyers in the trial had argued for and
against his bail application.
“The court cannot deliver ruling
immediately because all the processes
filed by the parties are not before the
court.
“I will need time to assimilate all the
facts and the authorities cited by both
counsel to the prosecution and the
defense,’’ he said.
Earlier, Dokpesi’s lawyer, Mike
Ozekhome (SAN), had urged the court to
grant bail to his client on self
recognition or on liberal terms.
Ozekhome argued that section 128 and
129 of the Administration of Criminal
Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 stipulates that the
offences on money laundering and
contract are bailable.
The lawyer said that Dokpesi was billed
to travel abroad for medical treatment
when EFCC invited him.
He added that the medical appointment
letter and the entire travelling
documents were attached to the
application.
He said that his client would have
proceeded on the medical trip abroad
but for the invitation of the EFCC.
Ozekhome argued that health related
issues were enough reason for the court
to exercise its discretion in favour of his
client.
He said that the defendant had families
and businesses in Nigeria and would
have no reason to jump bail if granted.
Opposing the application, EFCC lawyer,
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said that the
offences the respondent was charged for
were not bailable.
“For court to grant a bail, it has to look
at the nature of the charges preferred
against a defendant.
“One of the charges the applicant is
standing trial for carries five years to
seven years imprisonment.
“Looking at the evidence available, N2.1
billion was fraudulently paid to the
defendant from funds meant for fighting
insurgency.
“We all know that many people have lost
their lives to insurgency because of
corruption in high places.
“Therefore, the charges against the
defendant are more of a capital offence.
“A cursory look at the medical
appointment letter relied upon by the
applicant shows that it was acquired for
the purpose of this trial.
“Besides, the applicant did not disclose
the nature of the sickness he is going
abroad to treat.
“I therefore urged My Lord to dismiss
the application of the defendant for
lacking in merit,’’ he said.
Jacobs also argued that granting the
defendant bail would prejudice
investigation by the prosecution.