An Abuja High Court has granted bail to the former Chairman of
House of Representative Ad Hoc Committee on fuel subsidy payments, Farouk
Lawan, and the secretary of the committee, Boniface Emenalo. The two men have
been in held in prison for about a week. They are being prosecuted by the Federal Government for
collecting $620, 000 (N93 million) as bribe from business man, Femi Otedola, to
remove his company, Zenon Oil, from the list of indicted companies.
House of Representative Ad Hoc Committee on fuel subsidy payments, Farouk
Lawan, and the secretary of the committee, Boniface Emenalo. The two men have
been in held in prison for about a week. They are being prosecuted by the Federal Government for
collecting $620, 000 (N93 million) as bribe from business man, Femi Otedola, to
remove his company, Zenon Oil, from the list of indicted companies.
The Judge, Mudashiru Oniyangi, granted them bail on the sum of
N10 million each and two sureties each in like sum.
He also directed them to submit their international passports
with the court registrar, adding that they can only travel outside Nigeria with
the permission of the court.
with the court registrar, adding that they can only travel outside Nigeria with
the permission of the court.
The Judge based his decision to grant bail on the discretionary
powers of the court and the inability of the prosecution to file a counter
affidavit to the one filed by the accused persons detailing their reasons for
asking for bail.
powers of the court and the inability of the prosecution to file a counter
affidavit to the one filed by the accused persons detailing their reasons for
asking for bail.
He fixed April 10 and 17 for hearing