Former Daar Communication Chairman, Raymond Dokpesi, spent Monday night in Kuje Prison, Abuja as he could not immediately perfect his bail.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, Monday, granted bail to the beleaguered media mogul in a six-count money laundering suit brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Gabriel Kolawole said Dokpesi should be granted bail on the condition that he provides two sureties with N200 million each.
The first surety should be a serving or retired director in the civil service, the judge ruled.
The second surety should be a private investor who has paid tax for at least the last three years.
Justice Kolawole also said Dokpesi should not be rearrested for questioning for over eight and a half hours any time the EFCC plans to continue with the investigation.
“It should be no more than 10am to 6pm, any day,” the judge directed.
The Nation quote a source as saying Dokpesi was brought to the prison at about 4.55pm and immediately taken to the Prison Chief’s office.
The source said: “We have received Dokpesi in Kuje Prison and perfected his records before allocating him a cell.
“Upon sighting Dokpesi, most of the inmates who were abreast of the ongoing anti-corruption trials, were anxious to see him.
“But we decided to keep him in the office of the Officer-In-Charge to avoid being hurt by some inmates. Warders succeeded in shielding him from inmates.”
The source described Dokpesi as “certainly moody”.
Dokpesi, who was arraigned alongside his company, DAAR Investment and Holdings Limited on Wednesday, December 9, 2015, pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust preferred against him by the EFCC.
Moving his application for bail at the last sitting, his defence counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged the court to grant the accused person bail on self-recognition.
Ozekhome said: “The applicant has not contributed to the insurgency by his act and the only reason he is held in custody is because of mere speculation of future investigation, which this honourable court cannot act on.
“The alleged offence is bailable. My Lord, the accused will not jump bail, as he has families and dependants. “
Opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said: “The nature of the offence is corruption and a serious one.
”The accused initially denied having any transaction with the office of the National Security Adviser until he was confronted with the evidence. Therefore, such a person cannot be granted bail, as this is coming when the country is trying to change its corruption rating in the international community.”
The case was adjourned till February 17 next year for trial.
