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Seven years after, Farouk Lawan still battling to stop $500,000 bribery trial
A former chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on fuel subsidy regime, Farouk Lawan, on Thursday failed in his bid to stop the $500,000 bribery trial.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, presided over by Justice Angela Otaluka dismissed the ex-lawmaker’s no-case submission and ordered him to enter his defence on the matter.
Lawan is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for allegedly collecting $500,000 bribe from a businessman, Mr Femi Otedola, in 2012.
He allegedly asked for the bribe from Otedola to help remove the business mogul’s company name from the list of firms indicted by House committee.
Lawan filed the no-case submission through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on October 10.
Ozekhome had in his submission argued that the prosecution failed to establish the defendant’s intent to commit the offence he was charged with.
READ ALSO: Court throws out Metuh’s application to stop alleged fraud trial
But the court on Thursday dismissed the no-case submission filed by Lawan.
The judge held that the perusal of evidence before the court showed that the prosecution had made a case sufficient enough for the defendant to make some explanations.
She, therefore, overruled the no-case submission by the defendant and adjourned the case till November 11 for the defendant to open defence on the matter.
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