The judge ordered that if Okupe failed to meet the option of fine within the time frame, he should be taken to Kuje Correctional Centre to serve his prison term.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Director-general of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe, has paid the sum of N13 million as fine in place of the jail term he was sentenced to for laundering N240 million.
Okupe was found guilty of 26 out of the 59 counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered that the 26 counts, which attracted 2-year jail-term each, would run concurrently, meaning, the convict 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 Monday.
She ordered that if Okupe failed to meet the option of fine within the time frame, he should be taken to Kuje Correctional Centre to serve his prison term.
However, a check at the court at about 6pm showed that Okupe had paid the fine.
Okupe’s wife and son had pleaded for leniency after he was convicted.
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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.
Okupe was said to have received N240 million in cash from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).