The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to unfreeze the account of the founder of Daar Communications Plc, Raymond Dokpesi, and also release his traveling documents.
Justice John Tsoho held that since the Court of Appeal delivered the judgment that invalidated the criminal charges against Dokpesi, the EFCC had not applied for a stay of execution of the judgment.
The media mogul can now breathe a sigh of relief, as the Federal High Court, Abuja gave a ruling in his favour on Tuesday.
In an application filed by Dokpesi’s counsel, Kanu Agabi, on the 6th of April and filled 16 June, Agabi had while arguing the application, prayed the court to issue an order to unfreeze Dokpesi’s bank account frozen on the strength of the charges against him.
The senior lawyer had submitted that the criminal charges in respect of N2.1B brought against Dokpesi by the EFFCC had since been voided and quashed by the judgment of the Court of Appeal Abuja division, upholding Dokpesi’s no-case submission.
The EFCC counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, had also argued that the anti-graft agency has already filed a notice of appeal and urged the court not to grant Dokpesi’s demand.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Tsoho held that since the Court of Appeal delivered the judgment that invalidated the criminal charges against Dokpesi, the EFCC had not applied for a stay of execution of the judgment
The court also aligned with the submission that’s matter is against the Federal Government of Nigeria and so all the other respondents are a sister body under the government.
The court, therefore, ordered the EFCC to unfreeze Dokpesi’s account and also release all documents in there possession including his traveling documents.
Dokpesi was arraigned alongside Daar investment and holdings LTD. They were alleged to have received the sum of 2.1 billion Naira from the office of the National Security Adviser between October 2014 and March 2015, which was said to have been used for the Peoples Democratic Party campaign, an allegation dismissed by the Court of Appeal.