November 18, (THEWILL) – Following a contract fraud charge of N544M brought against former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has quashed and acquitted him of all charges.
The Court, on Friday, held that the anti-graft agency failed to establish a prima facie case against Lawal and his co-defendants.
Babachir Lawal alongside his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal; Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh Monday and two companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited, were prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice Charles Agbaza.
They were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on fraud relating to the removal of evasive plant species to the tune of N544 million for which they pleaded not guilty.
In a ruling of no case submission made by Babachir Lawal, Justice Charles Agbaza, held that the EFCC failed to establish that Babachir Lawal was either a member of the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) that awarded the contract or a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board that vetted and gave approval to the disputed contract.
Justice Agbaza also held that the anti-graft agency failed to link Babachir Lawal with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) that issued a certificate of no objection to the contract before it was awarded.
The court, therefore, discharged and acquitted all the defendants in the 10-count criminal charges against them for want of evidence to link them with the purported offences.
About the Author
