‘N544.1m fraud’: Absence of EFCC witnesses stalls Babachir Lawal’s trial

The trial of Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF),  was on Thursday stalled owing to the absence of the prosecution witnesses.

Lawal is standing trial alongside six others in an alleged N544.1 million grass-cutting scandal.

The EFCC had arraigned him alongside Hamidu Lawal, his brother and director of Rholavision Engineering Limited, with two others on a 10-count charge bordering conspiracy and fraud.

At the resumed trial, Ofem Uket, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), informed the court that none of his witnesses were available to testify.

Uket apologised to the court over the absence of witnesses, adding that it is not in his character to stall trial.

He then prayed the court to grant an adjournment to enable him bring the witnesses.

“It is regrettable that none of my witnesses is in court for this trial, I wish to apologize for this and I humbly urge this honourable court to give me another adjournment,” he said

Akin Olujinmi, counsel to Lawal, did not object to the application for an adjournment. He confirmed that the EFCC counsel already informed him of the development before the commencement of the day’s proceedings.

Jude Okeke, the judge, adjourned the matter till June 10 and June 16 to enable EFCC to produce its witnesses.

In a previous hearing, the EFCC counsel had complained that most of the witnesses who are from the office of the SGF are bent on frustrating the trial.