Farouk Lawan Jailed 7 Years Over Billionaire Femi Otedola’s $3m Bribery Indictment

A high court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has sentenced Farouk Lawan, former chairman of the federal house of representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy, to seven years imprisonment over the $3 million bribery charges preferred against him by the federal government.

Lawan was the chairman of the house of representatives ad hoc committee probing the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.

He was accused of demanding $3 million from Femi Otedola to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited (Otedola’s company) from the list of oil companies allegedly involved in the fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.

Lawan, who was arraigned on seven counts of bribery by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), 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.

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The businessman said he proceeded to report the issue to the DSS and was given $500,000 in marked notes. Also, the DSS had planted a camera in Otedola’s house.

Lawan had asked for the bribe with the aim of removing Otedola’s company, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, from the list of companies indicted in the fuel subsidy scam in 2012.

After receiving the bribe, Lawan was said to have removed the name of Zenon Oil from the list of firms indicted by the ad hoc committee of the House.