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Subsidy Scam: Emenalo says he took bribe to entrap Otedola

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Subsidy Scam: Emenalo says he took bribe to entrap Otedola

The trial of a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Scam, Farouk Lawan, continued on Tuesday, with the former secretary of the committee, Boniface Emelano claiming the $100,000 he collected from businessman Femi Otedola was meant as exhibit to expose him.

According to Emenalo, he had to accept the $100,000 offered members of the committee by Otedola so as to expose his (Otedola’s) plot to influence the outcome of their investigation.

Emenalo, who was initially a co-accused with Lawan but later changed to a prosecution witness, stated this while testifying a High Court of the Federal Capital territory (FCT) in Lugbe, Abuja.

Lawan is being prosecuted over allegations that he corruptly collected $500,000 out of the $3million he demanded from Otedola by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC.

Read also: EFCC case against Badeh suffers setback, witness says he kept no record of cash frittered

Lawan was accused of accepting the money with the intent of removing the name of Otedola’s company, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited from the list of those indicted for subsidy scam in 2012.

Emenalo had on March 7, 2016 given details of how he collected the $100,000 from Otedola in $100 bills.

While being cross examined by Lawan’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Emenalo denied some of the allegations against Lawan by the prosecution, insisting that he visited Otedela’s home in Aso Drive, Maitama on his invitation on April 22, and on Tuesday April 24, 2012‎

Emenalo, who denied receiving ‎$20,000 bribe from Otedola during their first meeting, said it was during the second meeting that Otedola gave him the $100,000 which he claimed to have handed to Lawan as exhibit.

“The money I collected from Mr. Otedola was meant to be an exhibit to prove that members of the ad-hoc were being pressurised. I informed my chairman (Lawan) and handed over the money my chairman”, he said.

 

 

 

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