ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Friday, April 9, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Femi Otedola after Court session

Femi Otedola after Court session

How I got $500,000 I gave Farouk Lawan as bribe – Otedola

byEvelyn Okakwu
January 28, 2019
2 min read

A businessman, Femi Otedola, on Monday told a court that he received the $500,000 used to bribe a former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, from the State Security Service.

Mr Otedola said this during his cross-examination by a defence lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, at the Apo Division of the FCT High Court.

He appeared as the prosecution witness in Mr Lawan’s trial after the latter was arraigned for allegedly attempting to receive $3 million from the witness, while he chaired a committee of the House of Representatives in 2012.

Mr Lawan was then chairing the committee that investigated billions spent fraudulently on petrol subsidy and the beneficiary companies. Mr Otedola, one of Nigeria’s richest persons, is in the oil and gas business.

Mr Otedola had accused Mr Lawan of blackmailing him with a request of $3 million to clear his company from the investigation.

The businessman added that he was given money after he reported Mr Lawan to the SSS in a petition.

He said the money was given to him at his residence after seven SSS officials visited him, following a petition he wrote to complain about the alleged blackmail.

Responding to a question from Mr Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, about the source of the money allegedly given to Mr Lawan, Mr Otedola said: “It was handed over to me by the DSS.”

Mr Otedola added that he gave the $500,000 to Mr Lawan in two tranches of $250,000. He said the SSS had informed him that they recovered the call logs between him and other parties in the matter.

RelatedNews

Nigerian govt’s silence on courts shutdown ‘shocking’ — NBA

Gunmen abduct Imo monarch, entire cabinet

Less than 2% of COVID-19 vaccines administered worldwide was in Africa – WHO

Dangote, BUA row spills over to sugar business amid allegation of policy breach

Mr Otedola, however, said his only written communication with the SSS is the petition written to the agency.

According to Mr Otedola, he was interrogated verbally by the SSS and did not make a written statement, besides his petition. Mr Otedola further said that the camera used in capturing the disbursement of the bribe to Mr Lawan was removed shortly after the defendant left with the money.

He, however, responded in the negative when asked whether his companies, Zemon Oil and gas and Forte Oil, were in the list of companies investigated by Mr Lawan’s committee.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Mr Ozekhome questioned Mr Otedola’s account of the said bribery. He said the alleged collection of a bribe in a sting operation like that described by Mr Otedola should have included the arrest of Mr Lawan after receiving the money.

Farouk Lawan
Farouk Lawan

Responding to Mr Ozekhome’s submission, Mr Otedola said he had noted the need to arrest Mr Lawan but was told to wait till the matter is concluded at the committee.

Mr Ozekhome also questioned the failure of the SSS to submit evidence of alleged calls between Mr Otedola and the other parties to the court.

Mr Lawan was first arraigned in February 2013 along with another accused, Boniface Emenalo, for allegedly receiving $620,000 of the alleged bribe from Mr Otedola and his company.

The case was then handled by Adebukola Banjoko also of the same FCT High Court.

Ms Banjoko, however, stepped down from the matter in 2014, following allegations of bias brought against her by the defence.

ADVERTISEMENT

The charge was later amended to include only Mr Lawan who was accused of receiving $500,000 of the total bribe sum.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (6)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Strike: We’re still consulting – ASUU President

Next Post

#GandujeGate: Protect Kano whistleblowers, groups urge FG

Evelyn Okakwu

Evelyn Okakwu

More News

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Nigeria’s SEC moves against investment platforms trading foreign securities

April 9, 2021
Meeting of Judiciary workers' with NBA

Nigerian govt’s silence on courts shutdown ‘shocking’ — NBA

April 8, 2021
El-Rufai Nasir

Bandits do not deserve to live — El-Rufai

April 8, 2021
Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu

Dangote, BUA row spills over to sugar business amid allegation of policy breach

April 8, 2021
Meeting of Judiciary workers' with NBA

Judiciary workers’ strike continues after meeting with NBA

April 8, 2021
Nigeria Police Force

How police arraigned, remanded anti-Buhari protesters in Kogi prison

April 8, 2021
Next Post
Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje.

#GandujeGate: Protect Kano whistleblowers, groups urge FG

Pope Francis has not abolished sin, says Vatican

Pope: Women who have abortion must be consoled, not punished

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,648,722 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
    • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.