The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal lodged by Farouk Lawan, former chairman of the federal House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy, against his conviction and seven-year jail term issued by a Federal Capital Territory High Court on June 22, 2021.
Lawan had been found guilty of bribery in 2012, following a three-count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
The trial judge, Angela Otaluka, sentenced Lawan for his involvement in a fuel subsidy scam, wherein he allegedly demanded $3 million from business mogul Femi Otedola to remove his company from the list of defaulters.
Lawan was also accused of accepting a $500,000 bribe from Otedola. By the provisions of the law, the punishment for the charges related to bribery attracts a total of seven years in imprisonment.
Background
Recall that on February 24, 2022, the Court of Appeal, Abuja, led by Appeal Court President Monica Dongban-Mensem, struck out two counts from the charges, stating that the ICPC failed to prove its allegations in count 1 and 2.
The appellate court concluded that the trial court’s decision could not stand, leading to a reduction in Lawan’s jail term from seven to five years.
Lawan’s lawyer, J.B. Daudu, appealed to the apex court for his client’s acquittal.
However, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, represented by Mrs. Aderonke Imana, urged the Supreme Court to uphold the former lawmaker’s conviction and sentencing.
Court’s Decision:
In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro, Justice Tijani Abubakar affirmed that the issues were resolved against the appellant.
The judge emphasized that there was no merit in Lawan’s attempt to quash his sentence, concluding, “On the whole, I find there is no merit in this appeal. The appeal is hereby dismissed.”
