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Alleged Grass-Cutting Fraud: EFCC To Appeal Dismissal Of Case Against Babachir Lawal, Others
The EFCC will appeal the dismissal of an alleged grass-cutting fraud case against Babachir Lawal and his alleged accomplices.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to appeal a court ruling that discharged a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, in a fraud case involving a grass-cutting contract.
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The EFCC had arraigned Lawal, his younger brother, Hamidu David Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar and Apeh John Monday, alongside two companies, Rholavision Engineering (fifth defendant) and Josmon Technologies (sixth defendant on an amended 10-count charge, bordering on fraud, diversion of funds and criminal conspiracy to the tune of over N544 million.
Subsequently, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the anti-graft agency does not have enough proof to prove that they committed a fraud.
On Friday, Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, dismissed the 10-count charge of corruption.
The judge held that the commission, which presented 11 witnesses in the course of the trial, failed to establish the ingredients of the alleged offence.
According to Justice Agbaza, the EFCC failed to prove that Lawal was either a member of the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) that awarded the contract or a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board that vetted and gave approval to the disputed contract.
But dissatisfied with the ruling, the anti-graft agency has given an indication that it will obtain a copy of the judgement for urgent review.
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In a statement via its official Twitter handle, the EFCC disclosed its intention to challenge the judgement’s validity at the Court of Appeal.
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