Metro

JUST IN: Supreme. Court Affirms 5-year Jail Term For Lawan Over $3m Bribery Saga

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2024

Editor

The Supreme Court, on Friday, upheld the judgement that convicted and sentenced the former Chairman of the then House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy probe, Mr. Farouk Lawan, to five years in prison for bribery.

The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, dismissed as lacking in merit, an appeal the former lawmaker, who has been in prison custody since 2021, filed to challenge his conviction.

Lawan had among other things, contended that he was not allowed to make a plea of allocutus (plea for leniency) by the trial court before it jailed him.

However, in its lead judgement that was prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro but read on Friday by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the Supreme Court said it was “crystal clear that failure of the trial court to call for allocution, did not vitiate the sentence passed on the Appellant.”

It will be recalled that a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Apo had on June 22, 2021, sentenced the former lawmaker to seven years in prison.

Trial Justice Angela Otaluka, found the four-term lawmaker for Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State, guilty of demanding an aggregate sum of $ 3million from Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, Chief Femi Otedola, to give his company a clean bill of health in the fuel subsidy probe the House of Reps initiated on 2012.

The trial court held that the Defendant acted in breach of section 17 (1) (a), section 8(1) (a) (b) (ii), and section 23 (i) of the Corrupt practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000, and committed an offence punishable under section 8 (1) 17 (1) and 23(3) of the same Act.

The court said it was satisfied that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, successfully established a criminal case against the Defendant, even as it convicted him on all the three-count charges that was preferred against him.

Whereas the Defendant was handed 7 years jail term on counts 1 and 2 of the charge, the court sentenced him to 5 years on count 3.

Justice Otaluka held that the sentence would run concurrently.

Dissatisfied with the verdict, Lawan, lodged six grounds of appeal to challenge his conviction.

He maintained that the ICPC failed to by way of credible evidence, establish a prima facie criminal case against him.

Therefore, he prayed the appellate court to discharge and acquit him of the bribery allegation.

In its judgement on February 24, 2022, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal affirmed the high court’s verdict.

However, the appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of Justices, reduced Lawan’s jail term from 7 to 5 years, after it discharged and acquitted him of two of the charges that led to his conviction.

The panel, which was led by the Court of Appeal President, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, held that the totality of evidence the Prosecution adduced in the matter, was not sufficient to prove that the former lawmaker demanded and agreed to accept $3m from Otedola.

The appellate court however upheld the case of the Prosecution that Lawan indeed received $500, 000 from the oil mogul.

While it dismissed the first two counts in the charge, the appellate court sustained the last count in the charge which attracts a maximum of five years imprisonment upon conviction.

Metro

Ex-convict Arrested In Edo For Armed Robbery, Possession Of Firearm

Published

6 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) has arrested a 45-year-old ex-convict, Owen Osas, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and suspected involvement in a robbery incident.

Osas was reportedly arrested with a cut-to-size single-barrel gun during a covert operation along Fishpond Road in Eyean, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area.

The arrest reportedly comes barely a year after he was released from prison, where he had served time for illegal possession of firearms and other criminal offences.

Osas, who confessed to the latest crime, also admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.

READ ALSO:Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo
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Consequently, a victim of an alleged robbery incident, Reginia Izy, identified Osas as the person who robbed her a day before his arrest.
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The victim narrated that the suspect had approached her residence around 8 p.m., pretending to be familiar before carrying out the attack.
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‎The Deputy Commander Operations of ESSC, Richard Balogun, said the arrest was part of intensified efforts to rid Edo State of criminal elements.

READ ALSO:Edo South Senatorial Seat: Nothing Wrong Seeking Wike’s Support – Ogbeide-Ihama
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‎Balogun explained that operatives conduct both overt patrols and covert operations to track and apprehend suspects.
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He said, ‎“Our men are always on patrol. Some operate in plain clothes as part of covert strategies, while others are stationed at strategic locations.

“Osas, who is a former convict, was arrested with firearms and he also confessed to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity.”
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Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.