The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 10-count charge against former Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babachir Lawal.
The case is lodged at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Mr. Lawal is charged alongside five others.
The co-defendants are Hamidu David Lawal; Sulaiman Abubakar, Apeh John Monday, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.
The charges reads in part:
“That you, Engr, Babachir David Lawal while being the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and a Director of Rholavision, Hamidu David Lawal being a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited, Sulaiman Abubakar being a staff of Rholavision Engineering Limited on or about the 7th of March 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did conspire 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 and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act.”
NAN reports:
In a double move in Lagos and Abuja, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Babachir David Lawal, former secretary of the Government of the Federation and Ambassador Ayo Oke, former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency with various fraud charges.
Oke’s wife, Folashade was also charged.
In Abuja, Lawal, was charged at the Federal High Court, along with his companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and and Jasmin Technologies Limited with 10 counts.
Both Lawal and Oke were sacked last year by President Muhammadu Buhari following a report of investigations by a panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo into allegations of fraud levelled against them in 2017.
In Lagos, Ambassador Ayo Oke and his wife, Mrs. Folashade are facing fraud charges over the sums of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 recovered by the EFCC from Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos south West Nigeria
The charge against Oke and his wife reads as thus:
*That you Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Mrs. Folashade Ayodele Oke, on or about the 12th day of April, 2017 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly conceal the sum of $43,449,947.00, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
*That you you Ambassador Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folashade Ayodele Oke, between 25th day of August, 2015 and 2nd day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly used the sum of $1, 658, 000.00 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
*That you Ambassador Ayodele Oke, between 25th day of August, 2015 and 2nd day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly converted the sum of $160, 777, 136. 85, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.
The Okes are expected to be arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on Friday 1 February, 2019.
Babachir David Lawal and Rholavision Engineering Limited and Jasmin Technologies Limited will be arraigned next week.