BREAKING: Court Sentences Ex-Lawmaker, Farouk Lawan, To 7 Years Imprisonment
By Abisola THOMPSON
An FCT High Court has sentenced a former member of the House of Representatives and chairman of the Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Subsidy, Hon. Farouk Lawan, to seven years imprisonment.
Lawan was accused of demanding $5 million bribe from billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, in order to remove his firms from the list of companies indicted for oil subsidy fraud by the House Committee.
Delivering judgment, Justice Angela Otaluka, the trial judge, ordered Lawan to restitute the 500, 000 dollars.
Lawan chaired the House of Representative committee that produced the fuel scam report, accusing some of those who import fuel of massive corruption.
Lawan represented Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2015.
Lawan was said to have demanded for the bribe from an oil merchant, Femi Otedola when he was the chairman of the house of representatives ad hoc committee probing the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.
The bribe is meant to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited (Otedola’s company) from the list of oil companies allegedly involved in the fuel subsidy fraud.
Lawan, who was arraigned on seven counts of bribery was alleged to have collected $500,000 bribe from Otedola.
The charge was later amended to three counts.
Otedola, while giving evidence as to the fifth prosecution witness, said the defendant had demanded $3 million from him with a threat to indict his company.
The businessman said he proceeded to report the issue to the DSS and was given $500,000 marked notes.
Also, the DSS had planted a camera in Otedola’s house.
More details later….
Details Later………
