The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have revealed that the Emeritus chairman, Daar Communications Plc., Chief Raymond Dokpesi will have to account for about N10 billion votes given to him for publicity.
It will be noted that Daar Communications was granted the broadcast right for the U-17 World Cup in 2009 by the Federation of International Football Associations. But in an intriguing plot, Dokpesi approached then President Umaru Yar’Adua demanding payment for broadcasting the football tournament. In an invoice sent to the central government entitled, DAAR-FIFA HOST BROADCASTER BUDGET, Dokpesi demanded N5billion to defray the company’s cost.
Former president Umaru Yar’Adua refused to pay him on the basis that the Federal Government did not enter into any agreement with him and the facilities he used to broadcast the tournament belonged to NTA, a government-owned station.
According to an EFCC source ”We have been trying to reconcile records with Dokpesi and he has about N10 billion to account for.”
Apart from the payment of N2.1 billion, a highly-placed source within the Commission listed more issues against Dokpesi as follows: payment of $50 million by ex-President’s campaign organisation; alleged plot to hack into number 60959146 with Sort Code 201334 belonging to one Dr. Haggai I. Ali with Barclays Bank, Queens Road Branch and Bristol, UK; alleged indebtedness of about N3.3 billion to Fidelity Bank out of N7.5 billion; operating DAAR Communications account alone despite the fact that it is a publicly quoted firm; and over-payment of more than N8 billion for the transmission of U-17 Junior World Cup (2009) and non -payment of dividends to shareholders.
The source added: “So far, Dokpesi has to account for over N10 billion and he has been confronted with some evidence which he admitted were some of the transactions he engaged in.
“We have discovered that Dokpesi was paid N8,047,275,290.99 on January 27, 2012 through account number 2017679134 with Maitama branch of First Bank Plc. We have proof of acknowledgement by the bank on January 28, 2012.
“In spite of the fact that the technical facilities used for the World Cup belonged to NTA, Dokpesi presented a bill which varied from N5 billion to N3.5 billion between 2009 and 2010 to N8.047 billion.
“Records showed that ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua rejected the bill and the National Broadcasting Commission advised against the payment of such outrageous amount.”
Asked when the suspects will be arraigned in court, the source simply said: “Very, very soon.”