GRASS-CUTTING SCANDAL: CRIMES COMMISSION SEEKS TO TENDER EVIDENCE EXTRACTED FROM TELEPHONE
One of the charges read: “That you Engineer Babachir David Lawal, while being the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and a director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd on or about the 22nd of August 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja judicial division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, did knowingly hold indirectly private interest in the contract awarded to Josmon Technological Limited but executed by Rholavision Engineering Limited for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N258,132,735.99 (Two Hundred and Fifty Eight Million, One hundred and Thirty Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty Five Naira, Ninety Nine Kobo) only, by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
The statement added that, at the resumed hearing of the case, a prosecution witness and certified data examiner with the commission, Fatima Asabe Umar, told the court how she extracted a forensic report from an iphone belonging to one Mr Gulani, using a celibrite camera.
Penpushing further reports that, the statement said the attempt by the prosecution counsel, Offem Uket to tender the video evidence in a CD, was opposed by the defence counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi, (SAN).
The commission spokesman said, information generated from the phone or any other device by virtue of section 84 of the Evidence Act, must be certified to be admitted in evidence, explaining that the prosecution has not produced any such certification.
Penpushing also reports that, Justice Jude Okeke, after listening to the argument of both counsel, adjourned the matter to September 24, 2019, for continuation of trial.
