Farouk Lawan, a former member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, has regained his freedom after completing a five-year prison sentence for bribery.
His release was confirmed on Tuesday by Samson Duza, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Lawan, who was convicted in 2021, was found guilty of accepting a $500,000 bribe from prominent businessman Femi Otedola, the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd. The bribe was part of an effort to shield Otedola’s company from being listed among firms implicated in a widespread fuel subsidy fraud investigation.
In a legal battle that spanned several years, Lawan’s conviction was upheld by both the Court of Appeal in 2022 and the Supreme Court in January 2024. The Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, dismissed Lawan’s appeal, maintaining that his case lacked merit.
Lawan’s release brings an end to one of Nigeria’s high-profile corruption cases, which attracted significant attention due to his position and the involvement of major business figures in the country.
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