Last updated on October 10th, 2023 at 10:31 pm

Nigerian media businessman Raymond Dokpesi was arrested in London on Sunday night on charges of rape, according to British police sources.

Raymond Dokpesi, the owner of broadcasting station AIT, was picked up at London’s Heathrow airport when he landed from a connecting flight via Frankfurt on Sunday night.

A London police source said: “On Sunday 8 January, a 71-year-old man was arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of rape.

The arrest was in connection with an August rape allegation in 2019.

“The man has been released on bail, pending further investigation, until early April.

“Investigations into the circumstances are continuing,” the source said.

Raymond Dokpesi did not return a request for comment.

His Daar Communications group said on a broadcast announcing Mr Dokpesi’s release that he had been arrested for a minor matter and was released immediately.

The station remained silent on the decision of the London police to trap Mr. Dokpesi in the UK in the coming months.

The detention comes as Mr Dokpesi prepares to meet Mr Abubakar in London at a rally that a party source told reporters, was related to strategies leading up to next month’s presidential election.

Atiku Abubakar is running as the main candidate of the People’s Democratic Party.

This development may prevent Mr Dokpesi from playing an active role in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, scheduled for February 25.

Another key PDP politician, Ike Ekweremadu, has been detained in London since his arrest in June 2022 for organ trafficking.

A trial began in this case on January 31.