A Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court sitting in Maitama has adjourned the fraud case involving a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal and three others to March 18, 2019 for “commencement of trial”.
Lawal, along with his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh Monday and two companies, Rholavision Engineering Ltd and Josmon Technologies Ltd, are facing a 10-count charge bordering on fraud, diversion of funds and criminal conspiracy to the tune of over N500 million.
They were first arraigned on February 12, 2019 before Justice Jude Okeke, and pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Hamidu David Lawal, being a Director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd; Suleiman Abubakar, being a staff of Rholavision Engineering Ltd, Apeh Monday John, being the Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Ltd and Rholavision Engineering Ltd on or about the 4th of March, 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did abet the holding indirectly of a private interest by Engineer Babachir David Lawal in the award of contract to Josmon Technologies Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation through the Presidential Initiative for North East, PINE to the tune of N272,524,356.02 (Two Hundred and Seventy Two Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Six Naira, Two Kobo only) which Rholavision Engineering Ltd executed and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26 (1)(c) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under section 12 of the same Act.”
