We goofed to have arrested Okupe, says crimes commission

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has admitted to have goofed in arresting Dr Doyin Okupe, a former Director-General of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation,  who  was on his way to London and seized by the State Security Service (SSS) on Thursday.

Penpushing reports that the spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren confirming that the arrest was a mistaken step, explained that Okupe was arrested based on a watch-list request issued on 18 July 2016, more than six years before his recent conviction on money laundering charges by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

‘The Department of State Services, DSS, today, January 12, informed the Commission of the interception of Dr Doyin Okupe, former presidential adviser, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos’, the statement reads.

“The Service acted on a Watch-list request issued on July 18, 2016, over six years before his recent conviction on money laundering charges by the Federal High Court, Abuja. The Commission was in the process of formally lifting the watch list before his interception and will expedite action in this regard”, Uwujaren added

Penpushing further reports that earlier in the day the spokesperson of the Department of Security Service (DSS), Peter Afunanya, in a one-paragraph statement said Okupe was intercepted by the agency personnel at Terminal 1 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Department of Security Service(DSS) in the statement explained that Okupe was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic Airline before he was stopped, adding that he was  subsequently handed over to the anti-graft agency.

Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that Okupe, in a tweet shortly after the news of his arrest broke, confirmed his arrest by the security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on his way to the United Kingdom (UK) for medicals.

“I was arrested & detained @ the MMIA, Lagos this morning, 12th Jan on my way to the UK for medicals; years after my passport had been withheld by the FHC Abuja. I just left the EFCC office where Snr Officers in Lagos & Abuja apologised to me for the error. OCCUPATIONAL HAZZARD abi?” His tweet read.

Penpushing reports that Okupe was on 19 December 2022 jailed for two years after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully prosecuted him for money laundering, having being guilty of contravening sections 16(1) and (2) of the Money Laundering Act, for receiving cash payments without going through a bank, in excess of the threshold statutorily allowed.

The judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, while delivering judgement  found Okupe guilty on a total of 26 counts from counts 34 to 59 of the charges, and  sentenced him to two years in prison on count 34 with an option of a fine of N500,000.

Penpushing further reports that Okupe was also sentenced to two years imprisonment on counts 35 to 59 with an option of a fine of N500, 000, while the option of fine is to run consecutively on each count while the sentence is to run concurrently.

The judge refrained from making any custodial order but said the convict is the property of the state, and in swift response to the conviction and option, Okupe paid the fine and was therefore not taken into custody.

Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that shortly after his conviction and regained freedom, the  medical doctor turned politician resigned from his position as Director General of the Labour Party(LP) Presidential campaign.

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