N2.1bn arms deal: Court of Appeal acquits Dokpesi

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has discharged former chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Raymond Dokpesi, over alleged corruption charges valued at N2.1 billion.

A three-member panel of justices on Thursday agreed with the two appeals by Dokpesi and Daar Investment and proceeded to set aside an earlier ruling of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which rejected the no-case submissions made by the appellants.

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In the lead judgement, which was read by Justice Elfreda Wiialims-Daudu, the appellate court held that the prosecution did not make out a prima facie case against the appellants and did not also establish the elements of the offences charged to warrant the appellants to be called upon to enter a defence.

Dokpesi had challenged the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja presided by Justice John Tsoho which dismissed his no-case submission on the allegations of receiving the sum of N2.1bn from a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, knowing same to be a proceed of corruption.

But Dokpesi maintains that the funds were paid to the company for the publicity and AIT’s live coverage of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential campaign tours in 2015.