Why Dokpesi is still in detention’

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The founder of Daar Holdings, owners of AIT and Raypower media group, Raymond Dokpesi, is still being held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission because, according to the agency, it secured a remand warrant from a magistrate to detain him as investigations continue.

Mr. Dokpesi was arrested over claims he received N2.1 billion from the office of the National Security Adviser during the Goodluck Jonathan regime for services not clear to investigators.

Mr. Dokpesi, however, has claimed the payment was for media and political campaigns of the 2015 elections.

Mr. Dokpesi’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, told PREMIUM TIMES that the EFCC had earlier agreed to release the media mogul if certain conditions were met.

He said the agency wanted two sureties who must be directors in the civil service and who must also submit their international passports.

He said Mr. Dokpesi himself was required to submit his passport to the EFCC.

“We were not able to meet the conditions yesterday because it was late,” Mr. Ozekhome told PREMIUM TIMES. “We got the two sureties today and we were ready to meet all the bail conditions before the EFCC told us they were able to get a holding charge warrant from a magistrate.”

The senior advocate of Nigeria said a magistrate judge has no powers to issue a holding charge warrant.

He also said neither Mr. Dokpesi nor himself had been made aware of any charges yet.

“We are yet to know the charges levelled against Chief Dokpesi and he himself has told me that no charges were preferred against him,” he said.

Mr. Dokpesi’s arrest is in connection to the outcome of a presidential investigations committee on arms procurement during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The committee said about $2.2 meant for the procurement of arms and equipment to aid the fight against Boko Haram was diverted for political purposes.

Source: Premium Times