New Telegraph

FG re-arraigns ex-SGF over N544m fraud

The Federal Government yesterday rearraigned a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and six others before an Abuja High Court sitting in Jabi over alleged N544 million grass cutting contract fraud.

 

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty again when the amended 10-count charge of fraud was read to them.

 

The re-arraignment, which was the second time since the case started, followed the demise of the former trial judge, Justice Jude Okeke, on August 4, 2020. Lawal, alongside his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh Monday, and two companies – Rholavision Engineering Ltd. and Josmon Technologies Ltd. – was initially arraigned before the late Justice Okeke on February 13, 2019.

 

The prosecuting counsel, Offem Uket, was to open his case on March 18, 2019 when he announced that he had amended the 10 counts, bordering on fraud, diversion of over N544 million and criminal conspiracy.

 

The development prompted the need for a rearraignment of the defendants, who again pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial had proceeded before Justice Okeke with the prosecution still calling its witnesses when the judge died. Following the judge’s demise, the case was reassigned to Justice Charles Agbaza.

 

The court has, however, set January 20, 2021, to restart their trial. Some of the counts in the charge marked CR/158/19, read: “That you, Engr. Babachir David Lawal, while being the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and a director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd., on or about the 7th of March, 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, did knowingly hold 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 N7,009,515.96 by the Office of the SGF through the Presidential Initiative for North-East (PINE) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.

 

“That you, Engr. Babachir David Lawal while being the SGF and a director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd. on or about the 4th of March, 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did knowingly hold indirectly a private interest in the contract awarded to Josmon Technologies Ltd., but executed by Rholavision Engineering Ltd. for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N272,524,356.02 by the OSGF through PINE and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

 

“That you, Engr. Babachir David Lawal, while being the SGF and a director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd. on or about the 22nd August, 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did knowingly hold indirectly a private interest in the contract awarded to Josmon Technologies Ltd., but executed by Rholavision Engineering Ltd. for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N258,132,735.00 by the OSGF through the PINE and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

 

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