Thursday, May 12, 2011

How Lawal, Ex-Minister, Stole N24.5 Billion - EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday informed a Federal High Court in Abuja how a former minister of works, Dr. Hassan Muhammad Lawal, allegedly stole N24.4 billion frm the federal government.

The anti-graft agency had brought Lawal to court on a 25-count charge and named Adeogba Ademola, Digital Toll Coy Ltd., Okala Philip Yakubu, Thahal Paul, Swede Control Intertex Ltd., Proman Vital ventures Ltd., PEB 04 Nig. Ltd., and Lassa Ltd as co-accused persons.

The EFCC had claimed that Lawal conspired with the other accused persons, using some firms as fronts to appropriate the public funds while serving as minister of works between 2006 and 2009.

The commission also alleged the accused persons conspired to defraud the federal government to the tune of N24.4 billion, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 17 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.

The N24.36 billion is the total amount of money meant to finance the construction of dual carriage bridge across River Benue at Bagana with equity participation between the federal government, Kogi and Nasarawa states.

The EFCC had alleged that the accused persons fraudulently converted the entire project sum through a proxy.

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