EFCC drags ex-SGF Babachir Lawal; ex-NIA boss, wife to court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dragged a former Secretary to Government of Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, following fraud charges filed against him on Wednesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
The charges against Lawal are coming over one year after the former SGF was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari, following public outcry.
Similarly, a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Mrs Folashade Oke were dragged before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Reports say Lawal and five others, including his company, Rholavision Engieneering Ltd are faced with 10 counts, while the Okes are faced with four counts.
It would be recalled that the presidency sacked Lawal and Oke following a report of investigations by a panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo into allegations of fraud leveled against them in 2017.
Lagos, Ambassador Ayo Oke and his wife, Mrs. Folashade are facing fraud charges over the sums of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 recovered by the EFCC from Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos south West Nigeria
The charge against Oke and his wife reads as thus:
Ambassador Ayo Oke and wife, Folashade, also charged
*That you Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Mrs. Folashade Ayodele Oke, on or about the 12th day of April, 2017 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly conceal the sum of $43,449,947.00, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
*That you you Ambassador Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folashade Ayodele Oke, between 25th day of August, 2015 and 2nd day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly used the sum of $1, 658, 000.00 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
*That you Ambassador Ayodele Oke, between 25th day of August, 2015 and 2nd day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly converted the sum of $160, 777, 136. 85, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.
The Okes are expected to be arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on Friday 1 February, 2019.
Babachir David Lawal and Rholavision Engineering Limited and Jasmin Technologies Limited will be arraigned next week.
By NAN