15th March, 2019
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday arraigned former aide of ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe on 59 counts of money laundering at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed trial, the prosecution witness, Mr. Hassan Seidu, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the court how Dr Okupe received payments from the office of the National Security Adviser, retired Col. Dasuki Sambo, for special services.
The witness also told the court how a company, Value Trust Investment Limited, was used to siphon money from the office of the NSA without executing any job for the Federal Government.
Mr. Seidu, who is the third prosecution witness in the trial of Dr. Okupe informed the court that Dr Okupe failed to justify the payments made to him and Value Trust Investment Limited.
He recounted how the accused was unable to account for the funds received even when he claimed to have paid staff salaries from the money.
The counsel to Dr. Okupe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe-kyari Gadzama, however, insisted that the testimony of the witness was merely a fairy tale, just as the counsel to Value Trust Investment Limited, Tolu Babaleye, dismissed the testimony.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Ibrahim Audu, claimed that he had enough documentary evidence to prove the case against the former presidential aide beyond reasonable doubt.
With the conclusion of the testimony of the third witness, the court adjourned further trial to April 1, 2019, for cross-examination of the witness,Channels Tv reports.