EFCC files fraud charges against Babachir, Oke

AFTER what seemed an eternity, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, filed a 10-count charge against former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir David Lawal.

The former SGF was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017 following his alleged indictment.

The anti-graft agency also filed four charges of alleged fraud against a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke and his wife, Folashade before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

They were charged over a huge sum of money found in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Oke and his wife will be arraigned in court tomorrow, while Lawal will be in court next week.

The anti-corruption agency, through its counsel, Uffem Uket, filed the charge with the number CR/158/19 at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Charged alongside Babachir were Hamidu David Lawal; Sulaiman Abubakar; Apeh John Monday; Rholavision Engineering Ltd and Josmoh Technologies Ltd.

While the charge stated that both Babachir and Hamidu were directors in Rholavision, Abubakar was a staff member of the company and Monday said to be the Managing Director of Josmom Technologies Ltd.

ALSO READ: ICPC: 2 NGO officials bag 9 years imprisonment

According to the charge seen by the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday evening, the defendants were alleged to have conspired to commit an offence to wit: fraudulent acquisition of property and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.

The former SGF was alleged to have, while as a director in Rholavision, did knowingly hold indirectly a private interest in the consultancy contract awarded to Rholavision for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N7,009,515.96 by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North-East (PINE).

By this, according to EFCC, Babachir committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The sacked SGF was further alleged to have knowingly held indirectly a private interest in the consultancy contract awarded to Rholavision for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N6,453,318.38 awarded by the OSGF through PINE.

Hamidu David Lawal, Sulaiman Abubakar, Apeh John Monday, Rholavision were said to have abetted holding of private interest by Babachir in the award of contract to Josmon Technologies Ltd for removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation by OSGF through PINE to the tune of N258,132,735.00.

The contract was said to have been executed by Rholavision Engineering Ltd.

The offence, according to EFCC, was contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.