Appeal Court Faults ICPC On Otedola, Reduces Farouk Lawan’s 7 Years Imprisonment

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has struck out two counts from the charges that nailed a former chairman of the federal house of representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy, Farouk Lawan.

Lawan was given a seven year jail term by a Federal Capital Territory High Court on June 22, 2021.

THE WHISTLER reported that trial judge Angela Otaluka had sentenced Lawan to seven years imprisonment having found him guilty of bribery in 2012 following a three count charged filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

The ICPC had alleged that he demanded $3 million from business mogul Femi Otedola to remove his company from the list of defaulters in the fuel subsidy scam (which constitutes count 1 and 2).

He was also accused by the anti-graft agency of collecting $500,000 as bribe from Otedola (count 3).

By the law , 7 years imprisonment is the punishment for count 1 and 2 while bribery is for 5 years.

In its verdict on Thursday, a three-member panel led by Appeal Court President, Monica Dongban-Mensem, said the ICPC did not prove its allegations in count 1 and 2, adding that the trial court’s decision cannot stand.

By the judgement, Lawan’s jail term is reduced from seven to five years.