Former chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy, Farouk Lawan, has begun his seven-year sentence in Kuje Prison, Abuja, after his conviction over the $3 million bribe by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja on Tuesday.
The former lawmaker has 30 days in which to appeal the judgement.
The ad-hoc committee chaired by Lawan was probing the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.
The former lawmaker 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 presiding judge, Justice Angela Otaluka, noted that the evidence listed and submitted before the court by the prosecution counsel, remain unshaken during cross-examination.
The judge also noted that the conduct, responses, and submissions of the defendant and witnesses, in this case, establish the charge in the count.
Count two stated that the defendant collected the sum of $500,000 as a bribe to exonerate Zenon 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 Zelon Petroleum wants to bribe the Committee involved in the probe.
For count one and two the court sentenced Lawan to seven years while for count three he was sentenced to five years.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
