Court rejects payment vouchers in Babachir, others’ N544m fraud trial

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has rejected payment vouchers tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the trial of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and two others.

The former SGF and his brother, Hamidu David Lawal, a director of Rholavision Engineering Limited; an employee of the company, Sulaiman Abubakar and the Managing Director of Josmon Technologies Limited, Apeh John are facing a 10-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud brought before the court by the anti-corruption commission.

Two companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited are being prosecuted alongside the four other defendants.

EFCC accused the former SGF of benefiting illegally from the approval of N544,119,925.36 for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Lawal being the SGF and Hamidu Lawal, director of Rholavision Engineering Limited and Abubakar, staff about March 7, 2016 at Abuja conspired to commit the offences.

Justice Jude Okeke, in a ruling yesterday, admitted some of the vital documents tendered on May 23, 2019 by the prosecution, through its first witness, Hamza Adamu.

In the ruling, Justice Okeke, said that though the prosecution had insisted that the documents it tendered were single documents, it was for the court to examine the documents to know whether they were admissible or not.

The judge said the documents tendered by the prosecution were original voucher payments attached with other documents, including original and uncertified documents.

He said: “I have examined the bundle of the documents and it consisted of original documents with attachments of uncertified ones, a total of 17 documents.

“The documents are bearing different dates. Besides this, it is also numbered as different exhibits. The mere fact that there are stapled together does not make them one document.”

Justice Okeke adjourned the case till today for the continuation of trial.