Despite judicial vacation, Farouk Lawan appears in court today

– A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama has granted the former House of Representative adhoc committee chairman on fuel subsidy Farouk Lawan leave to travel out of Nigeria

– Lawan had sought leave of court to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj to perform his religious obligations

– He was ordered by the court to return to Nigeria on or before Friday, September 30

Former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama has granted the former chairman House of Representative adhoc committee on fuel subsidy Farouk Lawan leave to travel abroad.

Lawan had in a relief sought the court’s order to allow him travel to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj to perform his religious obligations.

Lawan who is currently facing a criminal trial before Justice Angela Otaluka of the FCT High Court in Lugbe had applied to a vacation judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi for the release of his passport submitted as bail conditions before the court.

Following the relief sought by Lawan and lack of objection from the prosecution, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the vacation judge ordered the release of the former House of Representatives member’s passport.

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Adeniyi in his ruling said Lawan must report back to the country on or before Friday, September 30, and submit his passport to the senior registrar of the court – in line with the bail conditions.

Lawan is facing a three count charge bribery and money laundering by the ICPC.

He is alleged to have received $620,000 from oil magnate Femi Otedola – as bribe – to remove his company name, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the report of the house of representatives ad-hoc committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime.

One of the charges against him reads: “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.”

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