Nigerians saw media reports about Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives, who left Kuje Correctional Centre on Tuesday, five years after he was sentenced to prison.

Reports show that Lawan was convicted and sentenced in 2021 for taking a $500,000 bribe.

The ex-lawmaker took the bribe in 2012 from Femi Otedola, a businessman and who was the chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited at the time.

Lawan was the chairman of the House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee investigating the multi-billion naira petrol subsidy fraud in 2012.

READ ALSO: Lauretta Onochie, Ex-Buhari SA, Circulates US Lawmaker’s Picture as Amaka Sonnberger’s

Lawan had demanded a bribe of $3 million from Otedola to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the list of oil companies reported to have been involved in the petrol subsidy scam. He later accepted $500,000.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Lawan before an Abuja high court.

“Lawan was seen in a video clip concealing wads of dollar bills he took from Mr Otedola in his cap. He later replaced the cap on his head after stuffing it with the foreign currency notes. The prosecution said the video clips were recorded at Otedola’s Abuja residence in a sting operation organised along with the State Security Service (SSS),” Premium Times reported in 2012.

READ ALSO: FLASHBACK: Moment Darius Ishaku Said He ‘Won’t Leave Money’ in Taraba

When he was convicted and sentenced on June 22, 2021, he was to spend seven years in Kuje after the court found him guilty on three counts of corruption and bribery.

However, in February 2022, the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted him of two counts for which he was convicted. His jail term was also reduced to five years. This was why he got out on Tuesday, five years later.

As a lawmaker, Lawan represented the Bagwai/Shanono constituency of Kano State.
The post FLASHBACK: The $500,000 Bribery Scandal That Sent Farouk Lawan to Kuje Prison for 5 Years appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.