Okupe pays N13m fine after conviction over money laundering

Doyin Okupe, director-general of the Peter Obi presidential campaign council, has paid N13 million as fine for breaching the Money Laundering Act.

Okupe was found guilty of 26 out of a 59-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Earlier on Monday, Ijeoma Ojukwu, the presiding judge of an Abuja federal high court, sentenced Okupe to two years imprisonment with the option to pay N500,000 fine on each of the counts — totalling N13 million.

According to NAN, there was a condition that the fine must be paid before 4:30pm on Monday.

Checks by NAN at the court on Monday evening showed that Okupe had paid the fine.

Okupe was said to have received cash from the office of the national security adviser (NSA) while Sambo Dasuki, the NSA at the time, was in office.

Ojukwu found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act by accepting cash payments in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act, without going through a financial institution.

The judge said the NSA is not a financial institution and although the former president allegedly authorised the funds, he did not specify a cash payment in violation of the Money Laundering Act.

“I find the first defendant, Dr. Doyin Okupe, guilty on counts 34, 35, 36, to 59,” the court ruled.

Meanwhile, speaking during an interaction with journalists in Akwa Ibom, Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, has said the conviction of Okupe will not affect his campaign.