By Adesina Soyooye
Convicted Presidential Aide to two former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, currently the Director General of Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Doyin Okupe, is free. He is home. And did not spend a second in jail after his conviction by an Abuja Federal High Court.
Okupe was convicted on Monday by the Honourable Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, and was sentenced to a two year jail on each of the 26 count charges he was found guilty of, to run concurrently.
But Okupe escaped serving jail term at Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
Here’s why.
The Judge gave him an option of fine to the tune of N13m, and set a time limit of 4.30pm for him to pay the fine, or be thrown into jail. He, expectedly, chose the fine option, and was able to pay before 4.30pm.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had taken Dr Okupe to Court, and preferred a 56-count charge against him.
But he was found guilty of only 26 of charges, and jailed for breaching the Money Laundering Act.
Before he was sentenced, two members of his family wife Omolola, and son, Adesunkanni, testified to his character, and pleaded for leniency. And so did two prominent Nigerian citizens, former Anambra State Governor, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and Dr Idi Farouk, a former Director General of the National Orientation Agency.
Said his wife: “I got married to him on the 1st of May, 1991. My husband is a very good person. He has been a role model to myself and children with sound Christian values.
“I have never found him in any allegation of this before. I will like to appeal to the Court for leniency.
“My husband has dedicated his life to serve the Nation and he is not here today because he is found guilty of the offence, but because of his mistake.
“I ask the Court to consider his health and age which is 70 years. He has run his family effectively my lord.
Son, Adesunkanmi, in his plea for leniency, said : “I have known him for 31 years.He is a man of honesty and integrity with great character..
“I have the privilege of being mentored by him throughout my life time. He had imparted in me high value of perseverance and hard work that greatness comes by following God, unbending faith and diligence.
“This among many others is what I have learnt about Okupe.”
Both Ezeife and Idi Farouk, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
While sentencing him, the Judge posited that Okupe is guilty of contravening Sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for accepting cash payments without going through financial institution, in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act.
He had collected the sum of N240 million in cash from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retired).
Okupe’s conviction has destabilised, to an extent, the LP Presidential Campaign, and is likely to trigger a reorganisation. He may lose the top job.
Even though he is not serving time in jail, many are of the opinion that he should stand down as the DG of the Presidential Campaign.
Said one analyst: “That he paid the fine does not detract from the fact that he is, now, an ex-convict. He should not be seen to be in charge of Peter Obi’s Campaign.
He should step aside, and not give Obi’s political competitors a weapon to fight him.”
Not a few people agree with him.
