Justice
Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday,
14 December, 2015, granted High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, erstwhile
Chairman of DAAR Communication Plc, bail in the sum of N200m( Two
Hundred Million Naira).
Dokpesi,
who was arraigned alongside his company, DAAR Investment and Holdings
Limited on Wednesday, 9 December 2015, had pleaded not guilty to the
six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of
public trust preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC.
Moving
his application for bail at the last sitting, the defence counsel, Mike
Ozekhome, SAN, had pleaded with the court to grant the accused person
bail on self-recognition.
According to him,
“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. ”
However,
while opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi
Jacobs, SAN, had said that “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 person cannot be granted bail, as this is coming when
the country is trying to change its corruption rating in the
international community.”
In
his ruling at the resumed hearing today, Justice Kolawole granted the
accused person bail in the sum of N200m, with two sureties in like sum.
One
of the sureties must be a public servant, either serving or retired,
and not below the rank of Director, while the second surety must be an
entrepreneur who must submit evidence of tax payment in the last three
years.
In addition, “The sureties must tender
title deeds of landed properties in any part of Nigeria, the value of
which must not be below N200milion,” the Judge added.
Justice
Kolawole also ordered the accused person to submit his international
passport or any other international document that could enable him
travel out of the country and that he should be remanded in Kuje prisons
pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.
The case was adjourned to February 17, 2016 for the commencement of trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
14th December, 2015
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