Witness claims money was paid into Dokpesi’s account for campaign

Another explains monetary transactions from NIMASA to JTF account

A witness in the trial of former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc., Chief Raymond Dokpesi, over the N2.1 billion alleged fraud, Mukados Aliyu Mohammed, yesterday explained how billions of naira were spent from the account of the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the witness, a manager in the payment section of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), alleged that the former NSA and Director, Finance, in the office, S. A. Salisu, ordered the payment of N500 million into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Limited via a schedule/mandate dated January 21, 2015.

The witness further alleged that the former NSA also ordered another payment of N500 million on February 2, 2015 and N620 million on February 9, 2015, into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Limited for media campaign.

He said there was another mandate from NSA to pay the firm another N500 million on March 19, 2015, for the same media campaign.

According to the witness, his office, which verified the payment schedule/mandate, confirmed that due process was followed by office of the NSA before the monies were paid into the account of the firm belonging to the first defendant.

Under cross-examination by Dokpesi’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the witness said that all due procedures were observed before the ONSA account, which was being funded by the office of the accountant-general of the federation, was opened with the CBN.

After the testimony of the first prosecution witness, the trial judge, Justice John Tsoho, adjourned the matter till November 18, 2016 for continuation of trial.

In another development, a prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Teslim Ajuwon, yesterday told a Federal High Court, Lagos that Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe was a signatory to the account of the military Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta.

Ajuwon, who began his evidence on October 18, 2016, was led by the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.

He told the court that the transaction instrument was signed by the two signatories to the account, namely Lt. I. M. Ogadoga and Atewe.

In his evidence on transactions carried out on September 5 and September 9, 2014, the witness said that there were two in-flows of cash from the account of the joint task force to Jaggan Ltd in the sum of N50 million each.