By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
Former National Assembly member, Hon. Farouk Mohammed Lawan, was on Tuesday released from Kuje Custodial Centre after serving his sentence.
In a statement issued shortly after his release, Lawan expressed deep gratitude to God for seeing him through his trial and thanked his family and friends for their unwavering support.
“Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah,” the statement began, emphasising his profound thanks to the Almighty.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life,” Lawan continued, “as I step out of Kuje Custodial Centre, with a heart full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through this trial.”
Lawan’s journey to prison started when he was convicted and sentenced to prison in 2021 for accepting a $500,000 bribe from businessman, Femi Otedola, Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court had sentenced Lawan to seven years imprisonment for receiving a $500,000 bribe.
He was said to have committed the offence while serving as the chairman of the House’s ad-hoc committee investigating the fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.
The court presided over by Justice Angela Otaluka, ruled that Lawan demanded $3m and received $500,000 from Femi Otedola in 2012 to remove Otedola’s oil company, Zenon Oil and Gas, from the list of firms indicted for fraud in the fuel subsidy regime.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed the appeal by the former member of the House of Representatives, against the judgments of the lower court which imprisoned him. (THE NETWORK)
