$620,000 ‘bribery': Lawan, Emenalo back in court

The trial of Farouk Lawan, former chairman of the
house of representatives ad hoc committee on fuel
subsidy, for allegedly obtaining a bribe of $620,000
from Femi Otedola, chairman of Forte Oil, continues
on Tuesday, before Justice Angela Otaluka of a
federal capital territory high court, Lugbe.
Both men, who are being tried under the Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) Act 2000, are facing a seven-count
criminal charge bordering on obtaining $620,000 from
Otedola, in order to doctor the committee’s report on
fuel subsidy payments in favour of Zenon Oil and Gas
Ltd.
First arraigned before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi
on February 2, 2013, their matter was reassigned to
Justice Adebukola Banjoko after Oniyangi was elevated
to the court of appeal. After an objection again before
Justice Banjoko, the case was re-assigned to Justice
Otaluka.
The defendants were alleged to have conspired, in April
2012, to demand $3million gratification from Otedola to
remove his firm from the list of oil companies indicted
for the scam.
The prosecution team, led by Adegboyega Awomolo
had argued before the court, that the offence
contravened the provisions of Section 26 (1) (c) of the
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act,
2000, and punishable under Section 8 (1) of the same
act.
Emenalo was separately accused in Count 7 of
receiving $120,000 as gratification from Otedola for the
same purpose, an offence which
violates Section 10 (a)(ii) of ICPC Act, 2000 and
punishable under Section 10 of the same Act.
Having pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice
Banjoko ordered the accused to continue with the bail
conditions granted by Oniyangi.

THE CABLE