Farouk Lawan Sentenced To 7 Years Imprisonment For Bribery

A former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan is set to spend seven years behind bars over a $500,000 bribe from billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.

In 2013, Lawan was said to have collected $500,000 of a $3m bribe solicited from an oil tycoon, Otedola to drop his company from the investigation.

Justice Angella Otaluka, who delivered the judgment convicted Lawan on the three-count charge on which he was tried by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

Justice Otaluka noted that the evidence listed and submitted before the court by the prosecution counsel, remained unshaken during cross-examination.

Read Also: Invictus Jailed For 10 years In US After Pleading Guity

The judge also noted that the conduct, responses, and submissions of the defendant and witnesses, in this case, provided sufficient evidence to nail the accused.

Count two stated that the defendant collected the sum of $500,000 as a bribe to exonerate Zelon petroleum and gas from the fuel subsidy probe report.

Justice Otaluka added that the defendant demanded a balance of payment, after receiving the first and second tranche of the payment, and as at the early hours of 24th April 2012 when the accused received the second tranche, no complaint was made to any security agency or anti-corruption agencies, as he claims he accepted the money to show as evidence before the house.

The judge further said the defendant failed to convince the court that his acceptance of the said bribe was to serve as evidence before the House Committee that the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum wants to bribe the Committee involved in the probe.

The judge sentenced him to seven years imprisonment in respect of counts one and two and five years on count three.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

Africa Daily News, New York recalls that in 2013, the legislator had pleaded not guilty in court and was taken into custody until a bail hearing on 8 February.