JUST IN: EFCC Loses As Court Discharges Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal Of N544M Fraud

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has thrown out the N544 million contract fraud case instituted against former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Babachir Lawal and others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the anti-graft agency had in 2019 charged Lawal for allegedly using his personal company to secure a contract worth about N544 million while in office but had pleaded not guilty.

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The EFCC had filed a 10-count charge bordering on fraud, diversion of funds, and criminal conspiracy against him and others while presenting several prosecution witnesses against the defendants.

But Lawal filed a no-case submission against the EFCC, adding that he had no case to answer.

Ruling on the no-case submission on Friday, , Justice Charles Agbaza held that the EFCC could not show how Lawal was a member of the Presidential Initiative for North East PINE which awarded and approved the said contract.

The court held that since the EFCC could not link Lawal to the contract, the charges could not stand.

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Hamidu David Lawal (brother to the ex-SGF), Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh John Monday (Josmon Tech Director), Rholavision Engineering Limited (company linked to Babachir) and Josmon Technologies Limited were charged, as the second to sixth defendants.

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