$620,000 Bribe: Reps Keep Mum On Lawan’s Probe

The House of Representatives has said that it will not make further comments on Mr. Farouk Lawan, its member at the centre of the $620,000 bribery allegation.

Lawan headed the ad-hoc committee of the House, which conducted an investigation into the management of fuel subsidy funds in April 2012.

The probe had uncovered how government agencies reportedly connived with fuel importers to defraud the nation to the tune of over N1.07tn.

But an oil businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola, later alleged that Lawan demanded $620,000 bribe from him in the course of the investigation to free two of his firms from the list of indicted importers.

The Peoples Democratic Party legislator from Kano State admitted collecting the money but claimed that he wanted to use it as e evidence to trap Otedola, who was pressuring him with money.

The House had reacted to the issue by relieving Lawan of the headship of the ad-hoc committee. He was also suspended as the substantive chairman of the Committee on Education, from which he was later removed completely.

The House had constituted its own separate investigation into the allegation against Lawan, aside from his prosecution by anti-graft agencies.

12 months after the House opened the investigation, the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges had not produced a report.

The initial timeline given to the committee, which is headed by Mr. Gambo Musa, was 21 days.

However, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said in Abuja that the legislature would no longer comment on the matter.

Mohammed was reacting to a question from The PUNCH on why the report of the investigation had not been made public till date.

Mohammed said it would be “prejudicial” to continue to comment on a case that was before a law court.

Incidentally, the deadline given to the Musa committee to submit its report had long expired before the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission filed charges against Lawan before an Abuja Federal High Court.

But Mohammed insisted, “As far as the House is concerned, the matter is in court.

“We do not want to be in contempt of the court by continuing to comment on that case.”

Mohammed noted that the position of the House did not suggest that it was shielding Lawan.

He recalled that the same House did not only relieve the lawmaker of his committee responsibilities but also called on security agencies to prosecute him, if he was found wanting.