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Alleged $620m Bribe: FG Re-Arraigns Farouk Lawan, Emenalo

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farouk lawan

The Federal Government yesterday rearraigned former Chairman of House

of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, Hon.

Farouk Lawan and its ex-Secretary, Boniface Emenalo, before an Abuja

high court sitting in Gudu.

 

The trial commenced de novo (all over) yesterday before Justice

Adebukola Banjoko of the Abuja high court following the elevation of

Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi to the Appeal Court bench.

 

Justice Oniyangi was the trial judge earlier assigned to hear the case

 

The rules of court provide that when a judge who is already seized of

the facts of a case is unable to continue with the trial owing to

factors, including transfer or elevation, the case has to start de

novo before a new judge.

 

The Federal Government, which hired an Abuja based member of the inner

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bar, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to prosecute the lawmakers

yesterday got the nod of the high court to slam the old sevencount

charge bordering on bribery and abuse of office against them.

 

The lawmakers were accused of receiving $620,000 bribe from the

Chairman, Zenon Oil and Gas, Mr. Femi Otedola.

 

The bribe, it was further alleged, was to ostensibly exclude the names

of Otedola’s companies – Zenon Petroleum and Gas and Synopsis

Enterprises Limited – from the list of companies found to have

allegedly defrauded the Federal Government through fraudulent

petroleum products importation transactions.

 

When the case was called yesterday, lead prosecution lawyer, Awomolo

(SAN) informed the court that the business of the day was for the

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accused persons to plead to the charge afresh.

 

Upon listening to the charge, read to them by an official of the

court, Lawan and Emenalo pleaded not guilty.

 

Jolaawo later applied to the court to allow the accused persons

continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them by the former trial

 

The prosecution lawyer did not object to the application.

 

The judge, however, insisted on sighting the three men, who stood

surety for the accused persons before the earlier bail was granted, to

know if they were still willing to remain sureties.

 

The case was then stood down to allow the sureties, who were not in

court, to physically appear.

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