N544m scam: Court frees ex-SGF Lawal, others

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and five others have been dismissed and acquitted of the N544 million contract fraud charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.Information Guide Nigeria

Friday, the court ruled that the anti-corruption agency failed to establish a prima facie case against the former SGF and the other defendants.

Justice Charles Agbaza ruled that none of the 11 witnesses who testified for the EFCC established any element of a crime, in response to Lawal and others’ motion for summary judgment.

The judge ruled that the EFCC failed to demonstrate that Lawal was a member of either the Presidential Initiative for the North-East, which awarded the contract, or the Ministerial Tenders Board, which reviewed and approved the contested deal.

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In addition, according to Justice Agbaza, the EFCC failed to establish a connection between Lawal and the Bureau of Public Procurement, which gave a certificate of no objection to the contract before it was given.
The judge discharged and acquitted all ten accused for lack of evidence connecting them to the alleged crimes.

The EFCC brought charges against Babachir Lawal, his younger brother Hamidu Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh Monday, and two firms, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited, before Justice Agbaza.

They pled not guilty to ten accusations bordering on fraud relating to the removal of evasive plant species to the tune of N544m.JAMB Result

The EFCC re-arraigned Lawal before Justice Agbaza on November 30, 2020.

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