The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday
re-arraigned a former Minister of Works, Hassan Lawal, and
13 others on a 37 count charge of fraud. They were arraigned
at a Federal High Court in Abuja before Justice Adamu Bello.
According to the EFCC, the 14 accused persons are being
prosecuted over a N75bn fraud.
The EFCC had on May 11 arraigned the former minister
alongside 14 others on a 24-count charge of fraudulent
award of contracts, money laundering and embezzlement
amounting to N75.7bn.
Other accused persons re-arraigned with Lawal included
Adeogba Ademola, Digital Toll Company Ltd; Swede Control
Interlink Ltd; Proman Vital Ventures Ltd; Nairda Ltd; Siraj
Nigeria Ltd; and Wise Health services Ltd. Others are : Dave
Enejoh; Okala Yakubu; Thahal Paul; George Elzogbi; Abbey
Ayodele; and GIS Transport Limited. Lawal and Adesanya
Adewole were also charged on another nine count charge of
N71m fraud before Justice Bello.
The re-arraignment of the accused persons followed a
petition by their defence counsel alleging bias against Justice
Bilikisu Aliyu before whom they were initially arraigned and
asking the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to withdraw
the case from her.
The defence counsel, therefore, moved for a stay of
proceedings pending the determination of their petition by
the CJ.
As a result, the trial judge adjourned the case to June 13 to
allow the CJ take a decision on the petition while she ordered
all the eight accused persons remanded in Kuje prison.
At the resumed hearing of the case before a new judge, all the
14 accused persons who were in court took a fresh plea and
pleaded not guilty. A consolidated application was thereafter
made by lead counsel, Ibrahim Ishaku, SAN, seeking bail on
liberal terms. Prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, opposed
the application, praying the court to take into consideration
the fact that a similar application was made before a sister
court and denied. He, therefore, urged the court to
discountenance the application for bail and remand the
accused persons in prison custody.
In response to the arguments canvassed by both parties,
Justice Bello adjourned the case till Tuesday (today), for
ruling on the applications. He, however, said all the accused
persons be remanded in EFCC custody. Lawal and and the
others are being tried for charges bordering on award of
contracts to non-existing companies; award of contracts to
companies without financial and infrastructural muscle to
deliver; contract splitting, contract duplication to same
companies and fraudulent crediting of the former
minister’s personal account with government monies not
earned.


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