Faruk and Femi
(THE NATION) - Where is the $620,000 bribe collected by House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan from businessman Femi Otedola?
The puzzle remained unresolved at the weekend, the government is set to file charges against the lawmaker.
Lawan was the chairman of the House adhoc committee on fuel subsidy probe. Also to be charged is the clerk of the committee, Mr. Borniface Emenalo.
The trial of the suspects may start without the cash as the government is bent on going ahead with the arraignment in the light of the weight of evidence at its disposal.
The Federal Government may file the charges this week, barring last-minute hitches.
The Anti-Corruption Network yesterday asked the government to also arraign Otedola, who said he handed Lawan the cash in a sting operation arraigned by security agents. Lawan accepted collecting the money but refused to surrender it, saying it is proof of Otedola’s pressure on him to remove the oil magnet’s company from the list of those indicted in the subsidy probe.
According to a source, the Special Task Force (STF) which investigated the case submitted its report to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), without any trace of the bribe cash.
The source, however, claimed that “the evidence the police made available to the AGF were enough to sustain the prosecution of the suspects”.
The source added: “The STF team tried to locate the bribe sum, which is vital to the trial of the suspects, but it could not because of vested interests in the matter. This is a high-profile case with high-profile intrigues.
“But hope is not lost as there are other evidence ancillary to the fact that the bribe was given and taken.
“The prosecution may have to rely on some clips and statements made on oath by some of those interrogated. The STF did a good job and the investigation was far-reaching although without the bribe cash.
“With this investigation, you will appreciate that the Police did a thorough job.”
Asked if the police could determine whether the bribery was a sting operation or not, the source added: “A sister agency was involved and we presented the raw facts to the AGF which I cannot divulge.
“There are so many angles to this case; you have to wait for the trial to begin.”
A source said yesterday: “All hands are on deck to file charges against Lawan and Emenalo, pending the return of the lawmaker from the lesser Hajj.
“The two suspects may be arraigned before a high court by the government prosecutor this week.”
A source in the defence team said: “We are ready for the trial, let them go and file charges.”
Another source said: “As long as a sting operation could not be established by the police, the whole case will become flat.”
The Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network, Mr. Dino Melaye, said the government should put Otedola on trial for the court to decide the guilty.
Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives, said: “From what we have seen and heard, they have exempted the name of Mr. Femi Otedola from the list of those to be prosecuted.
“We are insisting that the three actors in the bribery saga (Otedola, Lawan and Emenalo) should be put on trial. The government should let the court determine whoever is guilty.
“Anything short of that, we are going to mobilise Nigerians against the trial of Lawan and Emenalo.”
Responding to a question, Melaye said the Network will resist plans to make Otedola a witness because “from police findings, they cannot call it a sting operation for lack of evidence.”
“If the government does not prosecute Otedola, it would amount to an attempt to water-down the case and acquit him.
“Nigerians are interested in this matter. Let the three suspects face trial and the proceedings of the court will enable them to have full insight into what transpired.
The choice of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), as counsel for the state is completely unacceptable because he is the one standing in defence of ex-Speaker Dimeji Bankole and a Judge in the case of an alleged N6billion fraud.
“So, there is actually a conflict of interest. A man who is standing against the state cannot at the same time prosecute for the state. You cannot approbate and reprobate at the same time. And public interest should be considered in this matter.”
Melaye said: “We will stage a protest. We have a stake in this matter.”
But a source said: “The truth of the matter is that Chief Awomolo withdrew from the defence team of the former Speaker. The Network should have done its homework very well.
“Also, Awomolo has been handling landmark cases for the Federal Government, including being a counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He has a reputation that no one can tarnish at all.”
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