He was released from the Kuje Correctional facility in Abuja on Tuesday.
After serving five years in prison for soliciting and accepting a $300,000 bribe from businessman Femi Otedola, former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan is now free.
Farouk Lawan, An Ex-Lawmaker, Has Been Released From Jail After Serving A Sentence.
On Tuesday, he was released from the Abuja-based Kuje Correctional facility.In a statement that he signed, he said, “As I leave Kuje Custodial Centre today, I begin a new chapter in my life, full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through this trial.”During a “particularly trying phase of my life,” the former lawmaker expressed gratitude to friends and family for their support.”I am extremely grateful to be alive, healthy, and in a good mood to spend time with my loved ones, friends, and coworkers. He remarked, “I do not take that for granted.”
“I am still thankful and indebted to my family and friends for supporting me during this especially difficult time in my life.”
While investigating the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy scam in 2012, the former lawmaker, who served as the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Fuel Subsidy, was sentenced to prison for requesting the aforementioned sum from Otedola.He was sentenced to five years in prison and exonerated on two of the three counts of the corruption charge the Federal Government had brought against him in 2021 by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Additionally, he was mandated to reimburse the Federal Government for $500,000.Lawan went to the Supreme Court to appeal the decision.However, the Supreme Court upheld the verdict in its January 2024 ruling.The Supreme Court ruled that Lawan’s appeal lacked merit in its lead judgement, which was written by Justice John Okoro but read by Justice Tijjani Abubakar.Thus, it was dismissed by the court.