Earlier this week, Chief Dokpesi was detained at Kuje Prison by the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) over his role in the spending of Nigeria's security budget. In one of the biggest cases of corruption so far uncovered, money voted towards the procurement of military equipment was dispensed to cronies and political associates by the government of former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
After being arraigned, the Federal High Court in Abuja remanded Chief Dokpesi in custody pending him meeting the bail condition of N400m (£1.32m). Yesterday, Chief Dokpesi's lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome, was able to raise the money and secure the release of his client, who was escorted home by his son, Raymond and his wife, Tosin.
Although Chief Ozekhome did not specify exactly when his client was released from prison yesterday and the conditions which they found difficult to fulfil, he said he client has met all the demands made of him. Charged with respect to N2.1bn (£7m) fraud charges, Chief Dokpesi was asked to provide at least two sureties, with one of them being an entrepreneur of note.
On December 11, the EFCC had arraigned Chief Dokpesi along with his firm, Daar Investment and Holdings, on six counts of money laundering and procurement fraud involving about N2.1bn which he allegedly received from the office of the national security adviser for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential media campaigns. On Monday, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted Chief Dokpesi bail in the sum of N200m with sureties in like sum.
In his judgement, the judge also ordered that Chief Dokpesi be remanded in Kuje Prison pending when he would fulfil the bail conditions. Furthermore, the judge had also ruled that one of the two sureties, who must be an entrepreneur, must submit his or her title deed of a property worth N200m in any part of Nigeria and produce three years tax clearance for preceding years up till 2015.
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