Finally High Court Sentences Former Lawmaker, Farouk Lawan To 7 Years In Prison For 2012 Otedola $500k Subsidy Bribe

A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has sentenced the former Chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on Petroleum Subsidy, Farouk Lawan to seven years in prison.

Lawan was jailed on Tuesday, Jan 22, after being found guilty of soliciting bribe from billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, during the probe of fuel subsidy in 2012. He had chaired the ad-hoc committee which probed fuel subsidy under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Otedola had accused Lawan of making a demand of $3 million for Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, his company, to be delisted from companies being probed. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), indicted him of collecting $500,000 bribe from Otedola but the lawmaker denied it.

For count one and two the court sentenced him to seven years while for count three he was sentenced to five years. The sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered that the defendant return the sum of $500,000 (N205m)to the Federal Government.