FG files fraud charges against Babachir Lawal

The federal government has filed fraud charges against the immediate-past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and five others.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 10-count charge filed by Offem Uket on January 30 alleged that Lawal conspired with a director and staff in Rholavision Engineering Ltd, Hamidu David Lawal and Suleiman Abubakar, to fraudulently acquire a property and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.

Others charged with them before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory are Apeh John Monday and his company Josmoh Technologies Ltd, as well as Rholavision Engineering Ltd, a company were Lawal was said to be a director. They are expected to be arraigned next week before the court.

One of the charge accused Hamidu, Abubakar and Rholavision to have “abet the award of contract to Rholavision Engineering Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N6.4million by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE).”

Count 9 of the charge accused Hamidu to have “abet the holding indirectly of a private interest by Engineer Babachir Lawal in the award of contract to Josmon Technologies Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) to the tune of N272.5million.”

Lawal was also accused to have fraudulently acquired a private interest in contract awarded to Josmon Technologies Ltd.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in October 2017, sacked Lawal following a report of investigations by a panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, into allegations of fraud levelled against him.