Farouk Lawan: Di Nigerian former lawmaker wey serve jail term for bribery accuse

One former member of di House of Representatives Farouk Lawan wey court bin sentence to five years imprisonment on top accuse say e demand and accept $500,000 bribe don regain im from di Kuje Custodial Centre for Abuja, di kontri capital.

Di lawmaker wey bin represent Bagwai/Shanono constituency for di House of Reps announce im freedom for one statement e issue on Tuesday, 22 October, local media report.

“Today mark di beginning of a new chapter for my life as I step out of Kuje Custodial Centre, wit a heart full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through dis trial.

“My gratitude dey deep, I dey alive and in good health and high spirits to be wit my family, friends, and associates. I no take dat for granted,” e tok for di statement wey e sign.

Oga Lawan also say im dey grateful and indebted to im family and friends wey stand by am during di trying period.

For June 2021, one High Court for Nigeria capital, Abuja bin sentence Farouk Lawan to seven years in prison on top accuse of one $3m bribery scandal wey happun for 2012.

Di court bin find Oga Lawan guilty of "count one, two, and three" as im corruptly ask for and obtain same from Femi Otedola, in order to remove Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from di list of companies wey dey fuel subsidy scam.

Lawan bin dey face accuse say im collect $500,000 of $3m bribe from one oil tycoon to drop im company from dia investigation.

Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola na im bin indict Lawan during fuel subsidy probe of 2012.

Di bribe na to help influence di removal of di name of im oil company from di list companies wey dey indicted for fuel subsidy scam of 2012.

Di legislator for 2013, bin plead for court say im no dey guilty and dem bin take am into custody until bail hearing hold on 8 February.

For count one and two, di court sentence Lawan to seven years while for count three, dem sentence am to five years. Di sentence go run concurrently.

Di court also order say make Lawan return di sum of $500,000 to di Federal Government.

Afta di High Court judgement, Oga Lawan appeal di case and di panel rule say di prosecution fail to prove say e demand and agree to accept di money from Otedola, to clear im company from di list of firms wey bin dey indicted.

Di Court of Appeal, for February 2022 confam Oga Lawan conviction afta dem clear am of two out of di three counts.

Sake of di partial acquittal, di Court of Appeal bin reduce di seven year jail term to five years.

E still carry di case go di Supreme Court. For January 2024, di Supreme Court confam di appeal court judgement as dem dismiss im appeal.

Who be Farouk Lawal and why e bin popular?

Lawan bin chair di ad-hoc committee wey torchlight fuel subsidy matter under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nigeria goment at di time bin set up di investigation afta angry nationwide protests bin hold for January 2012 after di goment bin try to remove fuel subsidy.

During di investigation, Oga Lawan bin call for total overhaul of di oil ministry, for companies to face prosecution and make some powerful individuals wey don benefit from di swindle face prosecution too.

Dem born Lawan for 1962 and e dey married.

Farouk wey be lecturer for Kano state polytechnic in di 90s dey popular.

Na pesin wey dey involved in union mata wella.

Wen e join politics and enta di house of reps for 1999, im popularity come increase.

Farouk serve till im fourth term for Nigeria house of parliament afta 2011 elections.

At dat time, many pipo for im state don dey even call on am to run for Kano state govnor.