Former lawmaker, Farouk Lawan, bags 7-years jail term for bribery

Former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, has bagged seven years jail term over bribery issues.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sentenced Farouk Lawan to seven years imprisonment after it found him guilty of soliciting bribe from billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, during the probe of fuel subsidy in 2012.

He was the chairman of the ad-hoc committee which probed fuel subsidy under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Otedola accused Lawan of making a demand of $3 million for Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, his company, to be delisted from companies being probed.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), indicted him of collecting $500,000 bribe from Otedola but the lawmaker denied it.

He was found guilty of count one, two, and three of the charges preferred against him.

The charges bothered on him obtaining money from Otedola.

He was sentenced to seven years for count one while he was sentenced to five years for count three.

The sentences are to run concurrently.