EFCC To Appeal Dismissal Of Fraud Allegation Against Ex-SGF

Babachir Lawal

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has promised to appeal the dismissal of N544 million grass-cutting fraud leveled against the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal and five others.

In his ruling on no-case submission made by Lawal and his co-defendants, Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal High Court, Abuja, held on Friday that the EFCC, which presented 11 witnesses in the course of the trial, failed to establish the ingredients of the alleged offence.

He added that EFCC failed to establish prima facie case against the co-defendants.

The judge further ruled that EFCC did not establish that Babachir Lawal was either a member of the Presidential Initiative for North East that awarded the contract or a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board that vetted and gave approval to the disputed contract.

The judge said that EFCC also failed to link Babachir Lawal with Bureau of Public Procurement that issued a certificate of no objection to the contract before it was awarded.

But EFCC’s spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren stated on Friday in Abuja, that he would obtain a copy of the judgment for urgent review and challenge its validity at the appellate court.

Lawal, his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar and Apeh Monday were prosecuted by the EFCC alongside two companies, Rholavision Engineering and Josmon Technologies.

They were charged with an amended 10-count charge of fraud, diversion of N544 million public funds and criminal conspiracy.

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