Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and five others have pleaded not guilty to a 10 count charge of fraudulent diversion of funds meant for the clearing of evasive plants on the North East.
Lawyers to Babachir Lawal and the defendants argued their application for bail before Justice Okeke of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Channels Television reports.
The Federal Government had earlier in January, filed 10 charges bordering on allegations of fraud against the former SGF.
It also filed four charges of alleged fraud against a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Mrs Folashade Oke.
Oke and his wife were to be arraigned before Justice Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, February 1, 2019, while Babachir Lawal was arraigned before an Abuja High Court today.
The charges come more than 15 months after they were sanctioned by the President.
