Court of Appeal dismisses N2.1 billion money laundering charges against Media mogul, Dokpesi

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital has dismissed the N2.1 billion naira money laundering charges filed against Mr Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman Emeritus, DAAR Communications Plc, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

The court upheld the no-case submission filed by Mr Dokpesi and DAAR Communications in the seven-count criminal charge.

In the judgment, Justice Elfreda Oyebisi Williams-Dawodu held that the anti-graft agency, the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case against Mr Dokpesi in the charges.

The appellate court further held that the ingredients of the offences were not provided by the prosecution as required by law.

The court agreed with the Counsel to the appellant, Kanu Agabi that being a predicate offence, the ingredients of the offences against his client must be clearly provided, adding that it is clear that none of the offences was established in line with provisions of the Nigerian laws.

The court further held that EFCC failed to prove that the N2.1 billion allegedly received by the appellant as payment was a proceed of breach of trust.

How we got here

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the nation’s capital in November, 2018 dismissed the no-case submission filed by Mr Raymond Dokpesi on the grounds that a prima facie had been established against him by the EFCC in the alleged N2.1B money laundering.

Not satisfied with the ruling of the high court, Mr Dokpesi approached the Court of Appeal and asked that the ruling of the lower court be set aside and his no case submission be upheld.

Justice William-Dowodu in a unanimous judgment held that there was nothing in the evidence of the 14 witnesses called by EFCC to persuade the court to compel the appellant to enter a defence in the charges where ingredients of the offence were not provided.

Emmanuel Ukoh