EFCC re-arraigns ex-SGF Babachir Lawal for N544m grass-cutting fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday re- arraigned a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Babachir Lawal , and six others , for the alleged fraudulent N 544m grass cutting contract .

The defendants , again on Monday , pleaded not guilty when the amended 10 counts of fraud were read to them before Justice Charles Agbaza of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory , Jabi , Abuja .

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 , along with 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 N 544m , and criminal conspiracy .

The development prompted the need for a re – arraignment of the defendants , who again pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial had proceeded before Justice Okeke with the EFCC still calling its witnesses when the judge died .
Following the judge ’ s demise , the case was re – assigned to Justice Agbaza before whom the case was rescheduled to start afresh on Monday .

After the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday , the defence lawyers pleaded with the judge to allow their clients to continue to enjoy the bail already granted them by the former judge .
Aside from Chief Akin Olujinmi ( SAN) , who represented the ex -SGF, the rest of the defence lawyers are Mr Sunday Ameh ( SAN) , Napoleon Idenala , Ocholi Okutepa , and Marcel Oru.
The judge fixed January 20 to 22 for trial.

The EFCC had alleged, among others in the 10 counts , that the defendants fraudulently converted cumulative proceeds of grass cutting contracts worth over N 500m which Lawal , as then SGF, allegedly awarded to the companies in which he had interests.