Payment of N2.1b to Dokpesi by NSA for media campaign was verified – CBN

A prosecution witness, Mukaddas Mohammed, told an Abuja Federal High Court how the office of the National Security Adviser paid Raymond Dokpesi N2.1 billion for media campaign.
Mohammed, a manager in the Payment Section of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja, was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), on Wednesday.
He told the court that N2.1 billion was paid in four payment mandates from of the office of the NSA to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited.
Mohammed said: “When the mandates came to our office, they were confirmed by the head of office and duly verified and after the verification, we effected the payments.”
The witness said the payment mandate, brought on October 21, 2015, was for N500 millioon and the purpose of the payment was “payment for media campaign”.
He said the signatories to the account were the NSA and the Director of Finance, Office of the NSA.
He said: “The mandate for the N500 million was signed by Sambo Dasuki and S.A. Salisu, then Sidi Ibrahim, one of our staff, submitted it for confirmation.
“We then verified the signatures and effected the payments.”
Mohammed also said the second payment mandate was dated February 2, 2015.
The amount covered by this mandate was also N500 million and the purpose of the payment was also “payment for media campaign”.
The witness further said the third mandate was dated February 9, 2015 and the amount was N620 million and the fourth mandate, dated March 19, 2015, was for N500 million.
The purpose for both payments were also “payment for media campaign”.
During cross examination by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), counsel to the defendant, Mohammed said the four payments to Dokpesi’s company also authorised payments of over N24 billion to other companies and institutions.
This included N60.6 million credited to the Presidential Air Fleet and N13.6 million credited to Makmap General Enterprises Nigeria Limited for supply of rice to Internally Displaced Persons.
Others were N75 million credited to C&C security department, N200 million credited to Onili Nigeria Limited for payment of consultancy service and N450 million to vibrant resources limited for payment of security service.
Also, Jawaz was paid N148 million for supply of security equipments, two billion Naira to AR Security Solution Ltd for personnel support and logistics and N100 million to General Hydrocarbon Ltd for payment of energy consulting,
The others were N239 million to Ministries Department and Agencies office of the NSA for payment of funding Deradicalization protest and N400 million to Cosse Limited for payment for supply of security equipment.
The judge, Justice James Tosho, adjourned the matter till November 18 for continuation of trial.
Dokpesi was charged with receiving N2.1 billion from the office of the former NSA for media coverage for the PDP’s presidential campaigns between October 2014 and March 19, 2015.