In a slick move to beat his 2-and-a-half-year jail term, the Director-General of Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Doyin Okupe, has paid the sum of N13 million for contrition.
Recall Theliberationnews reported on Monday that Okupe, a former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was convicted for laundering N240 million.
The presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a judgment, found Okupe guilty in 26 out of the 59 counts levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ojukwu had ordered that the 26 counts, which attracted 2-year jail-term each, be run concurrently and that translated to mean that the convicted Okupe would only spend two years in prison.
The judge, however, gave an option of N500,000 in each of the counts, amounting to N13 million, which must be paid before 4:30pm (the close of work) today.
Ojukwu ordered that should Okupe fail to meet the option of fine before deadline, he should be taken to Kuje Correctional Centre to serve his prison term.
According to reports, a check at the court at about 6pm showed that Okupe had paid the money.
It was earlier reported that the wife and son of Okupe had pleaded for leniency after he was convicted.
Mrs Omolola and Mr Adesunkanmi Okupe, while testifying to the convict’s good character, begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Omolola decsribed her husband as a good man.
“I got married to him on the 1st of May, 1991. My husband is a very good person. He had 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,” she said.
Also, Adesunkanmi said: “I have known him for 31 years. He is a man of honesty and integrity with great character..
“I have a 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 other is what I have learnt about Okupe.”
He appealed to the court to be lenient
Besides, former Governor of old Anambra, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and former National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Idi Farouk, had also urged the court to temper justice with mercy in Okupe’s sentencing.
The judge had, earlier, stood down proceedings for Okupe to exercise his right under Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to call witnesses to testify about his character, before the court could proceed to pronounce sentence on the convict.
