‘Why ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal was not reported to EFCC in alleged N544m contract scam’

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Chidi Eboigbe, yesterday, told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, was not reported to law enforcement agents because there was nowhere in a statement of account that showed Lawal carried out any transaction for a company.

Rholavision Engineering Company was said to have been engaged in the clearing of evasive plant species on Yobe River by the Presidential Initiative for the North East, which led to the filing of criminal charges against Lawal and others by EFCC.

The witness, who is a Compliance Officer with a bank, told the court that Lawal, from the record of the bank, ceased to be a director and signatory to the company’s account on October 28, 2015.

He said documents received by his bank indicated the former SGF was removed as a director and signatory to the account shortly after his appointment as SGF.

Answering a question from Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, counsel to Lawal, the witness admitted that N269.864 million was in the account of Rholavision between January 1, 2007, and May 4, 2012, and that at the time, the company was doing well.

The witness further said the bank had a duty and obligation to report any suspicious transactions to law enforcement agents as required by law but that in the record of transactions with the bank, there was nothing like criminal activities, hence the bank did not report anything to the authorities.

He specifically said there was nowhere in statements of account with the bank showing Lawal carried out any transaction for the company.

Rholavision is one of five defendants alongside Lawal standing trial in the ongoing alleged N544 million contract infractions.