TheCable

Raymond Dokpesi, founder of Daar Communications, owners of Ray Power and AIT, says he is innocent of alleged complicity in the fraud allegations against Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser.

According to The News, Dokpesi confirmed on Wednesday that he received N2.1 billion from Dasuki, but he said the money was payment for publicity and media political campaigns during the 2015 general election.

Quoting  a statement signed by the management of DAAR Communications Plc, the paper said Dokpesi explained that “around 2.00pm that day, the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, through a phone call, invited him to the Commission.”

On getting there, he was requested to, “shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President, Malam Sambo Dasuki”.

“Dokpesi explained to the EFCC officials that the N2.1 billion that he collected from the former NSA was payment for for publicity and media political campaigns during the 2015 General Elections,” a part of the statement read.

“High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi made his statement on the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”

However, the statement did not explain why the office of the national security adviser was the one used for making campaign payments. It also did not explain the source of the money.

Alongside Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto state, Dokpesi was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – same day Dasuki was arrested – under the accusation of alleged complicity in a financial fraud involving the former NSA.

A senior official at the anti-graft agency had told TheCable that both Dokpesi and Bafarawa received “huge sums of money for no clear reason” from Dasuki.

Dasuki is accused of awarding “fictitious contracts” in excess of N300 billion while he was NSA.