Billionaire mogul, Femi Otedola, would appear as a prosecution witness before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Lugbe, Abu...
Billionaire mogul, Femi Otedola, would appear
as a prosecution witness before a Federal Capital Territory High Court
in Lugbe, Abuja, in the ongoing trial of a former Chairman, House of
Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Mr. Farouk Lawan, for
alleged bribery.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission
is prosecuting Lawan for allegedly “corruptly” collecting $500,000 out
of the $3m bribe he requested from
Otedola in exchange for the removal
of the businessman’s company’s name from the list of firms indicted by the House committee for allegedly abusing the fuel subsidy regime in 2012.
The presiding judge, Justice Angela
Otakula, on Tuesday adjourned the case till March 7 and 8 to enable the
first prosecution witness, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, who was then secretary
to the Lawan-led committee, to conclude his evidence.
Otedola, the chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, is expected to
appear in court as the second prosecution witness on either of the two
days, depending on how soon Emenalo concludes his own part.
Otedola was initially scheduled to testify against Lawan on February 2,
but the businessman, who was somewhere within the court premises during
the proceedings, was said to have taken his leave when it was clear that
Emenalo was going to stay much longer in the witness box.
The lead prosecuting counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), was only
able to tender some documents through Emenalo on February 2 before the
case was adjourned till Tuesday.
