Arms Deal: My father never bidded for any arms contract during Jonathan's govt - Dokpesi's son

Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, the son of embattled chairman of DAAR group, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has released a statement distancing his father from the controversial $2.1 billion arms deal scandal.

According to a statement released titled "The Continued Detention of High Chief Raymond Dokpesi by The EFCC on Allegations of Money Laundering" which was signed by him, he said his father was only contracted to develop a Multi Media Strategic Development Support Project to promote and project the achievements and highlight the challenges of former president Jonathan's government. He says in the statement that his father is not a contractor with the Ministry of Defence and does not supply arms. 

The full text of the statement after the cut...

THE CONTINUED DETENTION OF HIGH CHIEF RAYMOND DOKPESI BY THE EFCC ON ALLEGATIONS OF MONEY LAUNDERING

1. It has become very imperative that following an article published in the Nation Newspaper and reprinted in other online and social media, that we provide more clarification on the current detention without trial of Dr. Raymond Dokpesi by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC in Abuja over allegations of Criminal Conspiracy and Money Laundering.

2. In the first place there is no iota of truth whatsoever that Dr. Dokpesi had a hand in any transaction with the former National Security Adviser regarding the purchase of arms, locally or internationally. This falsehood has become commonplace as his detention is constantly being associated with what has generally become known by the media as the $2.1 Billion US Dollars Arms Deal Scandal.

3. We will like to make it abundantly clear that Dr. Dokpesi's DAAR INVESTMENT & HOLDINGS COMPANY LTD, initiated a proposal to the Presidency of Former President Goodluck Jonathan proposing a Multi Media Strategic Development Support Project to promote and project the achievements and highlight the challenges of his government whilst demystifying false information gleefully circulated by the propaganda machinery of the then opposition party.

4. The proposal was submitted to the Former President in person by Dr. Dokpesi and his team in the presence of the Former Vice President and the Former National Security Adviser at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. We must further emphasize that the proposal had absolutely nothing to do with the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), nor the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

5. We understand that this proposal was thoroughly studied, approved and paid for by the Presidency through the office of the National Security Adviser which to the best of our knowledge has multiple budgetary sub-heads including for the promotion and propagation of information to sustain and stabilize the government and its administration.

6. We are still at a loss as to why a Federal Government that claims to have been popularly elected only about six months ago, will embark on a wide scale propaganda, misinformation and brazen falsehood just to achieve its objective of decimating its perceived political opponents and supporters of the previous government's administration.

7. High Chief Raymond Dokpesi remains a law abiding and consummate patriot who has served his fatherland to the best of his ability with Zeal, Zest and oftentimes a very infectious sense of patriotism.

8. For the avoidance of doubt, Dr Dokpesi has never applied nor bidded for a contract for the purchase of arms. Nor has he ever been registered with the Ministry of Defence for the similar objective of engaging in the supply of Arms for the Government. Unfolding events will soon prove irrefutably and unlike what fictious stories are being fed to the media as published by The Nation Newspaper on Friday 4th December 2015.

9. We urge the Buhari-led APC Government to rigorously investigate all political and economic crimes thoroughly before embarking on a media trial and sentencing even before the law courts of Nigeria have an opportunity to adjudicate.

10. Our democracy must grow on all fronts but more so under the rule of law which remains the bedrock of any democratic system.

Signed

Raymond Dokpesi Jnr.

For the Dokpesi family