BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

ABUJA-Hopes of  former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Muha-mmad Lawal, to regain his freedom from Kuje maximum prison, yesterday, was dashed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commi-ssion, EFCC, through a fresh application it filed before the trial Federal High Court in Abuja.

EFCC sought leave of court to amend the substantive criminal charge it preferred against him and his alleged seven accomplices.

The embattled ex-minister who was ab initio docked over a 23-count criminal charge preferred against him by the anti-graft agency, has already spent one month inside Kuje prison where he was remanded since May 11.

Meanwhile, he has instructed his lawyers to go before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal with a view to challenging his continued incarceration, just as he has asked the trial Judge in the matter, Justice Bilkisu Aliyu, to disqualify herself from the matter.

He queried the objectivity of the judge since his trial commenced, alleging that she had deliberately payed deaf ears to several applications seeking his release on medical grounds.