The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission officials yesterday raided the Abuja home of Chairman of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi who is being interrogated for his alleged connection in the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal.
The search lasted over an hour. Speaking to newsmen after the search, Dokpesi said.
“Its a change of Environment. Its quite peaceful, quite okay. I was granted bail yesterday (Tuesday December 1st) where they asked me to get two directors of the Federal government arm to also deposit my passport but my lawyer was not available and I said that I was not going to sign but then I think what they said was the allegation was alleged conspiracy, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds. But I am a loyal Nigerian citizen, a patriotic Nigerian citizen. I have no problem like I said. I am strong in spirit. I am toughened”.
Aleogho Dokpesi, Daar Communication (Ray Power and AIT) founder, had in his defence explained what transpired on Tuesday 1 December 2015 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him.
In a statement signed by the management of DAAR Communications Plc, he said that around 2.00pm that day, the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, through a phone call, invited him to the Commission.
On getting there, he was requested to, “shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President, Malam Sambo Dasuki.”
Dokpesi explained to the EFCC officials that the N2.1 billion that he collected from the former NSA was payment for for publicity and media political campaigns during the 2015 General Elections.”
High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi “made his statement on the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”
The statement however did not explain how the office of the National Security Adviser became the cashier office for the payment of campaign expenses and the source of the money.
A special panel and the EFCC are probing how trillions of naira budgeted for defence were spent in the last eight years. An interim report by the panel already reported phoney contracts in excess of $2 billion.
