N544M Grass Cutting Contract Scandal: Court Discharges, Acquits Ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal

Category:  Nigeria News

 

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, has discharged and acquitted a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal from the N544M contract fraud offences brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC

The Court on Friday held that the anti-graft agency failed woefully to establish prima facie case against the Ex-SGF.

In a ruling on no case submission made by Babachir Lawal, Justice Charles Agbaza held that EFCC said that no ingredients of any offence was made out by the 11 witnesses that testified for the EFCC.

The Judge held that EFCC did not establish that Babachir 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.

Besides, Justice Agbaza held that EFCC also failed to link Babachir Lawal with Bureau of Public Procurement BPP that issued a certificate of no objection to the contract before it was awarded.

In, the Judge discharged and aqcuitted all the defendants in the 10-count criminal charges against them for want of evidence to link them with the purported offences.