assistant on public affairs to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, before
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Abuja, has been
adjourned till March 5, 2021 for continuation of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC had arraigned Okupe
alongside his two companies: Value Trust Investments and Abrahams
Telecoms on a 59-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal
diversion of funds to the tune of N702,000,000 (Seven Hundred and Two
Million Naira only) .
At the resumed trial on February 8, 2021, the defence presented its
fourth witness, Honourable Bamidele Salami, a member of the House of
Representatives, who served as head of media in the office of the then
senior special assistant on public affairs to President Jonathan.
Led by Joe Kyari Gadzama, SAN, the witness told the court that “there
were approximately 30 staff in different units of the Office and the
office was funded by the Presidency through the office of the National
Security Adviser, ONSA under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd)”.
He disclosed that funding in the sum of N10 million Naira was provided
on a monthly basis in cash to Doyin Okupe through an officer in ONSA.
Bamidele further revealed that N3million was paid for a programme,
‘Insight’ on NTA, to correct the negative perception of the former
President.
He said it was untrue that the programme was aired “free of charge” as
corporate social responsibility by the NTA.
During cross examination by the prosecution counsel Ibrahim Audu, the
witness was asked whether a weekly publication in the office of the
National Security Adviser, ONSA, The Federalist, is a private company.
The witness, in response, informed the court that The Federalist is not
a registered private company with Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, but
a publication of ONSA.
He, however, claimed ignorance of any contractual agreement between The
Federalist newspaper and the Office of National Security Adviser.
Bamidele also told the court that he does not have the exact figure of
monies that was paid for media engagements, honorarium and other public
relations engagements, “but it costs a lot”.
The defence witness’ evidence on the sponsorship of Insight on NTA
contradicts the testimony of the first prosecution witness (PW1), Osas
Azonabor, an operative of the EFCC, who had told the court “that no
receipt was issued for the payment to NTA, however a letter was written
to NTA and Investigations further revealed that the programme was aired
free of charge as directed by the then Director General of NTA who said
the programme was to be seen as the Corporate Social Responsibility of
the NTA.”