Former SGF, Babachir Lawal arrives court, pleads not guilty over allegations of fraud

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has been arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory, High Court, Abuja, over alleged conspiracy and fraud.

The former SGF was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday.

The operatives of EFCC brought him before the court which will be presided over by Justice Jude Okeke.

The anti-graft agency had filed a 10-count charge bothering on conspiracy and fraud against Lawal and Hamidu David Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar and two companies, Rholavision Engineering Ltd and Josmon Technologies Ltd.

In the charge filed on January 30 by Offem Uket for the commission, Lawal was alleged to have conspired with Hamidu, a director in Rholavision and Abubakar, a staff in the same company, to fraudulently acquire a 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.

Lawal, has however, pleaded not guilty to the fraud charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.