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Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives from State, who was sentenced to five years in prison for demanding and accepting a $500,000 bribe, has been released from prison
Below is a video of the former lawmaker leaving the Correctional Centre with his family:
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, FCT Command, Samson Duza confirmed his release on Tuesday.
He was found guilty of soliciting a $3 million bribe from Femi Otedola, a Nigerian billionaire oil tycoon while serving as chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.
Lawan was convicted in 2021 for accepting a $500,000 bribe from businessman Femi Otedola, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd.
The bribe was part of an attempt to remove Otedola’s company from a list of firms implicated in a fuel subsidy fraud.
The Supreme Court upheld his conviction on January 26, 2024.
The court’s decision followed a 2022 ruling by the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed his conviction on count three of the three-count charge against him.
The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, ruled that Lawan’s appeal was without merit.
In a terse statement after regaining his freedom, Hon. Farouk said this is the beginning of a new chapter in his life while thanking Allah for keeping him alive and in good health.
"I am grateful to Allah SWT as I embark on a new phase of my life, having been released from Kuje Custodial Centre."
“I remain grateful and indebted to my family and friends who stood by me through this particularly trying phase of my life.”
