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Okupe is a former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the then President Goodluck Jonathan,
it was reported that Okupe and others were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on alleged money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N702million.
He was arraigned before Ijeoma Ojukwu, presiding judge, alongside two companies – Value Trust Investment Ltd and Abrahams Telecoms Ltd.
On Monday, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu agreed with the prosecution that he diverted public funds through the Office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki totalling about N240m.
The court found that rather than receiving funds through cheques, he kept receiving more than 5 million in cash contrary to the money laundering act.
However, the judge gave him leverage to call witnesses before 1:45pm today (Monday) to defend himself.
Those who came to defend him were his wife and son and they pleaded for leniency.
In her judgement, Ojukwu sentenced Okupe to 2 years imprisonment each from count 34 to Count 59.
But she said the imprisonment will run concurrently.
She however, said he would either spend two years in jail or pay N500,000 each on the 26 counts totaling N13,000,000.
The judge gave Okupe till 4:30pm to comply with her judgement particularly the fine or be remanded in prison following his conviction.
