A former accused person in the ongoing subsidy scam case today, February 2, stood in the witness box to testify against the ex-chairman House of Representatives Ad-Hoc committee for monitoring of fuel subsidy regime, Farouk Lawan.
At an Abuja High Court in Lugbe, Boniface Emenalo formerly standing trial with Lawan for receiving $620,000 from oil magnate Femi Otedola stood to testify against Lawan in an amended charge.
The duo were formerly facing a seven-count charge of bribery, an offence which violates Section 10 (a)(ii) of ICPC Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 10 of the same Act.
The accused persons were alleged to have conspired in April 2012 to demand $3 million gratification from Otedola to delete his firm from the list of oil companies indicted for the fuel subsidy scam.
But at the commencement of trial today, the charges which has been amended to three counts excluded Emenalo with only Lawan now facing trial.
In the amended charge, Lawan is now standing trial for receiving $500,000 after demanding $3 million from the oil magnate.
Emenalo’s $120,000 has been dropped by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The charges were noted to have been amended on Thursday, February 19, 2015.
One of the charges against Lawan read: “That you Hon Farouk Lawan (M) being member of the house of representatives and chairman house committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime sometime in April 2012 or thereabout at Abuja within the federal capital territory under the jurisdiction of this honourable court did, while acting in the course of your official duty corruptly asked for the sum of $3,000, 000 from Mr. Femi Otedola, chairman Zenon Petroleum and Gas LTD on account of intention to afterwards show favour to the said Mr Femi Otedola by removing the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas LTD from the report of the house of representatives ad-hoc committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime and you thereby committee an offence contrary to section 8 (1) (a) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 8 (1) of the same Act.”
Count three read: “That you Hon. Farouk Lawan (M) while being a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime sometimes in April 2012 or thereabout at Abuja within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this honorable court did while acting in the course of your official duty corruptly obtained the sum of $500,000 (five hundred thousand US dollars ) for yourself from Mr. Femi Otedola Chairman Zenon petroleum and Gas Limited as an inducement to remove the name of Zenon petroleum and Gas Limited from the report of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (1) (a) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section (17)(1) of the same Act.”
At an Abuja High Court in Lugbe, Boniface Emenalo formerly standing trial with Lawan for receiving $620,000 from oil magnate Femi Otedola stood to testify against Lawan in an amended charge.
The duo were formerly facing a seven-count charge of bribery, an offence which violates Section 10 (a)(ii) of ICPC Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 10 of the same Act.
The accused persons were alleged to have conspired in April 2012 to demand $3 million gratification from Otedola to delete his firm from the list of oil companies indicted for the fuel subsidy scam.
But at the commencement of trial today, the charges which has been amended to three counts excluded Emenalo with only Lawan now facing trial.
In the amended charge, Lawan is now standing trial for receiving $500,000 after demanding $3 million from the oil magnate.
Emenalo’s $120,000 has been dropped by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The charges were noted to have been amended on Thursday, February 19, 2015.
One of the charges against Lawan read: “That you Hon Farouk Lawan (M) being member of the house of representatives and chairman house committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime sometime in April 2012 or thereabout at Abuja within the federal capital territory under the jurisdiction of this honourable court did, while acting in the course of your official duty corruptly asked for the sum of $3,000, 000 from Mr. Femi Otedola, chairman Zenon Petroleum and Gas LTD on account of intention to afterwards show favour to the said Mr Femi Otedola by removing the name of Zenon Petroleum and Gas LTD from the report of the house of representatives ad-hoc committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime and you thereby committee an offence contrary to section 8 (1) (a) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 8 (1) of the same Act.”
Count three read: “That you Hon. Farouk Lawan (M) while being a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime sometimes in April 2012 or thereabout at Abuja within the Federal Capital Territory under the jurisdiction of this honorable court did while acting in the course of your official duty corruptly obtained the sum of $500,000 (five hundred thousand US dollars ) for yourself from Mr. Femi Otedola Chairman Zenon petroleum and Gas Limited as an inducement to remove the name of Zenon petroleum and Gas Limited from the report of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc committee on Monitoring of Fuel Subsidy Regime and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (1) (a) of The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section (17)(1) of the same Act.”
