Court turns down EFCC’s request to tender documents against ex-SGF

By Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama on Monday declined to admit in evidence uncertified documents tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing corruption trial of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.

Lawal alongside his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar and two companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited are facing a10-count charge bordering on fraud, diversion of funds and criminal conspiracy to the tune of over N500 million.

They were arraigned before Justice Jude Okeke.

At the resumed trail on Monday, the trial judge while ruling on the admissibility of the documents held that the essence of certification was to ensure accuracy of documents tendered in evidence.

Justice Okeke ruled that although, the prosecutor attached the uncertified documents into the bundle of original documents, “it is the duty of the court to examine them to know whether they are admissible.

“I have examined the bundle of the documents and it consisted of original documents with attachments of uncertified ones, a total of 17 documents.

“The documents are bearing different dates. Besides this, it’s also numbered as different exhibits. The mere fact that they are stapled together does not make them one document,” the judge held.

He said for a public document to be admissible, it must accord with the provisions of Section 104 of Evidence Act, 2011 and then admitted seven original documents while rejecting the 10 uncertified ones.

Justice Okeke then adjourned to June 18 for the continuation of trial.