Court Remands Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal In EFCC Custody

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that former Secretary to Government of the Federation [SGF], Mr. Babachir Lawal, be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].

Mr. Lawal is to be kept in EFCC custody pending the ruling of the court on his bail application on February 13.

The sacked SGF was alleged to have conspired with some staff of Rolavision, his company, to fraudulently acquire a property.

According to the charge preferred against them, they 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.

The former SGF and five others had pleaded not guilty to a 10 count charge of fraudulent diversion of funds meant for the clearing of evasive plants on the North East.

Lawyers to Babachir Lawal and the defendants argued their application for bail before Justice Okeke of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Federal Government had earlier in January, filed the charges bordering on allegations of fraud against the former SGF.

It also filed four charges of alleged fraud against a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Mrs Folashade Oke.

Oke and his wife were to be arraigned before Justice Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, February 1, 2019, while Babachir Lawal was arraigned before an Abuja High Court today.

The charges come more than 15 months after they were sanctioned by the President.

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