N544 Grass-cutting Scam: EFCC vows to appeal judgement freeing Babachir Lawal, others
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it will appeal against Friday’s ruling by Justice Charles Agbaza of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, which dismissed a case of corruption against former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.
Ruling in a no-case submission made by Lawal and his co-defendants, Mr Agbaza held that the EFCC which presented 11 witnesses in the course of the trial, failed to establish the ingredients of the alleged offence.
He held that the EFCC did not establish that Mr Lawal was a member of the Presidential Initiative for the North East that awarded the contract.
He added that the anti-graft agency also did not establish that Mr Lawal was a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board that vetted and gave approval of the contract.
EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, stated on Friday in Abuja, however, that it would obtain a copy of the judgement for urgent review and challenge its validity at the appellate court.
Mr Lawal, his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar and Apeh Monday were prosecuted by the EFCC alongside two companies, Rholavision Engineering and Josmon Technologies.
They were charged with an amended 10-count charge of fraud, diversion of N544 million public funds and criminal conspiracy.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
World
U.S. Attacks: Iran’s IRGC threatens to invade countries, strike American military bases
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to attack neighbouring countries and American bases amid renewed attacks from the United States.
States
Family releases burial timetable for Afenifere leader Fasoranti
The family of the late Afenifere leader and elder statesman, Reuben Fasoranti, has announced burial arrangements for the Yoruba leader.
Anti-Corruption
Lawyer petitions EFCC to probe Makinde’s spending, N30 billion Bodija explosion fund
A legal practitioner, Akinloye Olusegun, has petitioned EFCC to investigate Governor Seyi Makinde’s expenditures from his assumption of office in 2019 to 2026.
Education
Gov Zulum seeks AU support to return 800,000 out-of-school children to classrooms
Mr Zulum pledged to strengthen the state’s partnership with the African Union to expand access to education for about 800,000 out-of-school children.
Rights
KSACA moves to standardise premarital medical certificates in Kano
It said the engagement also aimed to develop practical mechanisms for issuing and disseminating uniform premarital medical certificates across Kano’s 44 council areas.
Lagos
Lagos: At least one killed in Fadeyi building collapse
The Lagos government said the cause of the collapse had not yet been determined and relevant regulatory agencies would investigate it.
