Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has pleaded not guilty to the fraud charges laid against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Court also remanded Lawal, in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pending the determination of his bail application. Babachir’s detention was sequel to his arraignment on 10 count charge before Justice Jude Okeke on allegation of N544 million grass cutting fraud. The former SGF was arraigned alongside Hamidu Lawal, a director of Rholaviosion Engineering Ltd, Babachir’s company; Sulaiman Abubakar, a staff of the same company and Apeh Monday, a staff in Josmon Technologies Ltd. Two companies – Rholaviosion Engineering Ltd and Josmon technologies Ltd were also arraigned alongside the defendants before the Court. All the defendants denied each of the ten count charges and pleaded not guilty to the allegations against them. Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, prayed the court to give him a date to open his case. Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), counsel to Babachir Lawal, applied for his bail. Olujimi informed the court that Babachir had abided by the terms and conditions of the administrative bail granted to him by EFCC since April 13, 2018. Counsel to others defendants, Mr. Sunday Ameh (SAN), Mr. Napoleon Idenala, and Mr. Ocholi Okutupa applied for their bail. The prosecuting counsel, Abubakar, however, opposed the bail applications by the defendants’ counsel. Justice Jude Okeke in his ruling ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the outcome of the ruling on their bail applications today, February 13 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had dragged them to court on 10 counts bordering on conspiracy and unlawful award of contract. Lawal was accused of benefiting illegally from the approval of N544, 119, 925. 36 for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation. The EFCC alleged that Babachir Lawal, the former SGF and Hamidu Lawal, Director of Rholavision Engneering Ltd and Abubakar, a staff of the same company, on March 7, 2016. within the Abuja jurisdiction conspired to commit the offence. EFCC also said that the defendants fraudulently acquired a property, which was contrary to section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. It further alleged that the first defendant, Lawal, knowingly held indirectly a private interest in the consultancy contract awarded to Rholavision Engineering Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N7 million and N6.4 million. EFCC claimed that it was done through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE). It further alleged that on March 4, and August 22, 2016, the defendant was also involved in the contract for removing evasive grass worth N272. 5 million and N258.1 million respectively, which were awarded to Josmon technologies but executed by Rholavision. EFCC said that these offences are contrary to Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000
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