A former chairman of the Federal House of Representatives Ad-hoc committee, Farouk Lawan has been sentenced to 7 years in prison after being found guilty of bribery charges levelled against him by the Federal government.
Lawan, while he was chairman of the committee probing a multi-billion Naira subsidy fraud, had demanded $3 million in bribes from Femi Otedola, to remove his company, Zenon Oil and Gas company from the list of oil companies accused of participating in the fraud.
The petite politician was arraigned in court by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC for allegedly receiving $500,000 from Otedola.
It was further gathered that Lawan entered hot water after Otedola reported him to the DSS. The agency gave Otedola $500,000 in marked notes and also planted a camera in otedola’s home to record the ex-reps member collecting the bribe.
On Tuesday, Presiding Judge, Angela Otaluka said; “I am convinced that the defendant corruptly asked and demanded for $3million of which he received $500,000. It is my finding that count one of the charge was not based on suspicion but on credible evidence,” Otaluka held.
“I am totally convinced that the defendant did not collect the money to serve as a lesson to other companies,” she held. I therefore find the defendant guilty of counts one, two and three.”
She slammed Lawan with a seven year imprisonment sentence.
