Kogiflame
Farouk Lawan, a former member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, has regained his freedom from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.
According to the report by Daily Trust, his release was made public in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday.
In the statement, Lawan expressed deep gratitude for his release and thanked God for guiding him through the challenges he faced while incarcerated.
He said, “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.”
Lawan also expressed appreciation for the support he received from his family and friends during his time in prison.
He said, “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.”
Farouk Lawan was a prominent figure in the Nigerian political scene, particularly as the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime.
His legal troubles began in 2013 when he was accused of demanding a bribe of $3 million from billionaire businessman Femi Otedola.
Otedola had claimed that Lawan accepted a sum of $500,000 to remove his oil company from the list of indicted firms involved in the fuel subsidy scam of 2012.
Lawan was arraigned on charges related to bribery and corruption, and in 2021, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sentenced him to seven years in prison.
He was convicted on three counts, with the first two counts earning him a five-year sentence each, and the final count carrying a seven-year sentence, all to run concurrently.
However, in a subsequent appeal, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reduced his jail term to five years, citing insufficient evidence that he demanded or agreed to accept the bribe from Otedola.
