Grass-cutting scandal: EFCC to tender evidence from telephone against Babachir Lawal

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday tendered evidence extracted from a telephone against Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).

Lawal and Rolavision, his company, are facing an amended 10-count charge bordering on fraud, diversion of funds and criminal conspiracy to the tune of over N500 million.

President Muhammadu Buhari fired Lawal in October 2017, eight months after he was indicted by an ad hoc committee of the senate investigating the humanitarian crisis in the north-east.

At the resumed hearing of the case at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Abuja on Wednesday, Fatima Umara, a prosecution witness and certified data examiner with the EFCC, told the court how she extracted a forensic report from an iPhone belonging to one Gulani using a cellebrite camera.

Akin Olujimi, the defence counsel, opposed the attempt by Offem Uket, the prosecution counsel, to tender the video evidence in a CD.

Olujimi said information generated from the phone or any other device by virtue of section 84 of the evidence act, must be certified to be admitted in evidence. He stated that the prosecution has not produced any such certification.

After listening to the argument of both counsel, Jude Okeke, the presiding judge, adjourned the matter till September 24 for continuation of trial.