Court adjourns case of ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal, over alleged N544m fraud

An FCT High Court in Jabi on Thursday adjourned until Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 the trial of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.

Babachir was charged with 10 counts bordering on fraud, criminal conspiracy to diversion of over N544 million belonging to the Federal Government, in the award of contract in the removal of evasive plant species in the North-East.

The EFCC also charged Hamidu, the former SGF’s younger brother, Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh Monday, and two companies – Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited.

At the resumed sitting on Thursday slated for cross-examination before Justice Charles Agbaza, the prosecution’s third witness, Fatima Umar, a Deputy Director, Head of Digital Forensic Laboratory, EFCC, took to the stand, to be cross-examined by Babchir’s counsel, Akin Olujinmi, SAN.

During cross-examination, Umar confirmed that as a digital expert, she knew that the internet offered various possibilities in terms of use.

In addition, she admitted being aware of the activities of hackers on the internet and their ability to take over a third party’s device without physically touching nor without the consent or authorisation of the owner.

Olujimi on his part asked Umar to confirm that there was a possibility that if the phone was in possession of another person apart from the owner, such pairing and subsequent transfer of data could be done without his knowledge.

In her response, she said yes, but she however said that was not the case in the extant suit.

READ ALSO: Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal, others re-arraigned over N544m grass cutting scandal

According to Olujimi, he said that there was a possibility that the phone which was taken from one Musa Bulani by one Ibrahim Ahmad, an EFCC’s operative in Nov. 2017 did not get to Umar until March 9, 2018.

He, therefore, asked Umar to confirm the chain of custody within that period and the possibility that the phone was not tampered with and incriminating evidence planted in.

Olujimi in response to her answer stated that evidence from exhibit eight which was a letter sent to Umar to extract and analyse information from the phone was just the consent form.

He also pointed out that the evidence about the phone being password was not in any document before the court.

Justice Agbaza at the end of Olujimi’s cross-examination adjourned the matter until Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 for the continuation of cross-examination of the witness by the remaining four defence counsel.

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