Nigerian Politician, Media Mogul, Dokpesi Arrested in London

The Metropolitan Police on Sunday arrested the Chairman of the African Independent Television, Raymond Dokpesi, has been arrested in London.

Dokpesi was arrested just when a Frankfurt-London flight was landing at the Heathrow International Airport, London, on Sunday.

He was said to be on his way to join the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was scheduled for some meetings in London as from today (Monday.)

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Nigeria had in 2015, dragged Dokpesi to court and had accused him and his company of illegally receiving funds considered as proceeds of crimes from a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and went further to file a no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case in November 2018 after calling 14 witnesses.

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However, the trial judge, Justice John Tsoho, rejected the no-case submission and ordered Dokpesi and his firm to enter their defence.
Not satisfied, the defendants then approached the Court of Appeal, with a request to nullify the decision and free him from the charges on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against them.

But the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had discharged Dokpesi, from the N2.1 billion fraud charges brought against him by the EFCC.

Media reports are quoting eye witness to have said that shortly before landing in London, flight crew had announced an impending police operations after landing while all passengers were advised to stay on their seats.

It was reported that after landing, officials of the Metropolitan Police, London stormed the airplane belonging to Lufthansa and demanded that any passenger with the name Raymond Dokpesi should identify himself.

He was subsequently arrested and escorted out of the plane.

Dokpesi, according to sources, is expected to be arraigned in court today.

His offence remains unknown as at press time.

His arrest is coming months after that of another prominent Nigerian politician and former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Ekweremadu and his wife are standing trial in London over allegations bordering in human trafficking and organs harvesting. NPO