By Deborah Onyofufeke
A former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Doyin Okupe, yesterday paid a fine of N13m to avoid the two-year jail term bagged for N240m money laundering offence.
Earlier yesterday, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment, found Okupe guilty in 26 out of the 59 counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Ojukwu had ordered that the 26 counts, which attracted two-year jail terms each, would run concurrently, meaning, the convict would only spend two years in prison.
The judge, however, gave an option of N500,000 in each of the counts, amounting to N13m, which must be paid before 4.30 pm (the close of work) on Monday (yesterday).
She ordered that if Okupe failed to meet the option of a fine within the time frame, he should be taken to Kuje Correctional Centre to serve his prison term.
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However, a check at the court at about 6 pm showed that Okupe, who is the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, had paid the money.
The wife and son of Okupe had pleaded for leniency after he was convicted.
Mrs Omolola and Mr Adesunkanmi Okupe, while testifying to the convict’s good character, begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Omolola described her husband as a good man.
“I got married to him on the 1st of May, 1991. My husband is a very good person. He had been a role model to myself and my children with sound Christian values.
“I have never found him in any allegation of this before. I will like to appeal to the court for leniency. My husband has dedicated his life to serving the nation and he is not here today because he has been found guilty of the offence, but because of his mistake.
“I ask the court to consider his health and age which is 70 years. He has run his family effectively my lord,” she said.
Also, Adesunkanmi said: “I have known him for 31 years.
“He is a man of honesty and integrity with great character. I have had the privilege of being mentored by him throughout my lifetime.
“He had imparted in me a high value of perseverance and hard work that greatness comes by following God, unbending faith, and diligence. This among many others is what I have learnt about Okupe.”
He appealed to the court to be lenient
Besides, the former Governor of old Anambra, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, had also urged the court to temper justice with mercy in Okupe’s sentencing.
The judge had, earlier, stood down proceedings for Okupe to exercise his right under Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to call witnesses to testify about his character, before the court could proceed to pronounce sentence on the convict.
NAN reports that the court presided over by Justice Ojukwu, had convicted Okupe for breaching the Money Laundering Act.
The judge held that Okupe was found guilty of contravening Sections 16 (1) & (2) of the Money Laundering Act, for accepting cash payments without going through the financial institution, over the threshold allowed under the Act.
Okupe was said to have received N240m in cash from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
