Chairman Emeritus of Daar Communications PLC, Mr Raymond Dokpesi, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja to make an order unfreezing his accounts and also release his documents in the custody of the court.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, counsel to Dokpesi, Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN), told the court that the frozen accounts and documents were connected to the money laundering allegation levelled against Dokpesi.
Agabi added that the Court of Appeal had since quashed the charge.
“My Lord, it is a straight forward application and we are prepared to proceed if the court permits,” Agabi said.
However, Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), which prosecuted Dokpesi, asked the court for time to study the application, saying the commission was not aware of it.
“We are not aware that the case is coming up. We only came to court to appear before Justice Inyang Ekwo for another case entirely.
“It was one of the counsel that drew our attention, only for us to find out that the case is listed.
“We hold this court in high esteem and as a mark of respect for the court, we decided to appear before my lord to hint him on how we stumbled on this case.
“In the circumstance, we are not in a position to take the application as it is because we have to look at the application and let the court know if we are opposing it or not.”
Atolagbe further told the court that the anti-graft agency had filed notices of appeal against the judgement of the appellate court at the Supreme Court.
He prayed the court for an adjournment to allow his team peruse the application.
Reacting, Agabi said the EFCC were served since June 15, and had not filed a counter affidavit.
The court, however, disclosed that it discovered that the EFCC had not been served and blamed the bailiff division for not effecting service.
Justice John Tsoho adjourned the matter until July 19 for hearing.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had discharged and acquitted Dokpesi over the alleged N2.1 billion fraud case.
Dokpesi was alleged to have received N2.1 billion from the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) between October 2014 and March 2015 under Sambo Dasuki for services not rendered.
The three-man panel of justices of the court discharged Dokpesi, stating that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
