Former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, has regained freedom after serving a five-year prison term for bribery.
Lawan, who chaired the ad-hoc committee probing the multi-billion naira petrol subsidy fraud in 2012, was released from Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
His conviction stemmed from accepting a $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, then chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, in a sting operation.
He was initially sentenced to seven years in prison in June 2021 but had his term reduced to five years by the Court of Appeal in February 2022.
Upon release, Lawan expressed gratitude in a statement: “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life as I step out of Kuje Custodial Centre, with a heart full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through this trial.
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“My gratitude is deep; I’m alive and in good health and high spirits to be with my family, friends, and associates. I don’t take that for granted. I remain grateful and indebted to my family and friends who stood by me through this particularly trying phase of my life.”
Lawan’s case began with allegations of demanding $3 million from Otedola to clear Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the list of companies involved in the petrol subsidy scam.
Video evidence showed Lawan accepting bribes, leading to his arraignment on seven counts of bribery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The Supreme Court upheld Lawan’s conviction in January 2024, affirming the Court of Appeal’s verdict.
Lawan represented the Bagwai/Shanono constituency of Kano state in the House of Representatives.
