Details of the testimonies of the suspended Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring of Subsidy Regime, Mr. Farouk Lawan, showed that he admitted taking “money” and “not a bribe” from oil businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola.
Findings indicated that the panel grilled the former Chairman, House Committee on Education for over fours hours, starting from 1.07pm.
It was gathered that during the investigation, Lawan tried to draw a distinction between money and bribe. He was said to have insisted he took the money with the aim of exposing Otedola.
A source, who was privy to the details of the testimonies, said, “He told the committee that he took money to expose Otedola, as different from a bribe. “In the statement he issued, where he admitted taking the money, he drew the attention of the committee to the fact that he was careful with his choice of words.
“Bribe was not mentioned in the statement, but money. Money he took to expose Otedola,” the source said.
Lawan reportedly tendered text messages and call logs to the panel as evidence that he did not initiate the transaction between Otedola and himself. “From what he tendered, it seemed the transaction was not initiated by him. So, what the committee has decided to do is to confront the other parties to the case with the information Lawan has divulged”, the source, who pleaded anonymity, added.
Asked whether Lawan was in possession of the $620,000, the source said he replied that “a lot more information will be made available as the police and other agencies continu with their investigations. The truth is there.”
The source explained that because of the sensitive nature of the investigation, the committee later reasoned that it was not wise to make the inquiry public. “Lawan has information and documents; he has text messages; he has call logs and other evidence. The committee didn’t want other witnesses to take advantage of a public appearance and work on their own testimonies.
“The committee wants to throw Lawan’s claims on other witnesses to see how they will respond. In that way, some conflicting information may come to the fore. The other witnesses too will be heard in camera and will be accorded the same protection as Lawan”, the source stated.
Lawan was discharged after four hours of meeting with the panel. According to the source, the committee resolved to invite him again if the testimonies of other witnesses punctured his claims “or if there is the need to hear from him again.”
A source, who was privy to the details of the testimonies, said, “He told the committee that he took money to expose Otedola, as different from a bribe. “In the statement he issued, where he admitted taking the money, he drew the attention of the committee to the fact that he was careful with his choice of words.
“Bribe was not mentioned in the statement, but money. Money he took to expose Otedola,” the source said.
Lawan reportedly tendered text messages and call logs to the panel as evidence that he did not initiate the transaction between Otedola and himself. “From what he tendered, it seemed the transaction was not initiated by him. So, what the committee has decided to do is to confront the other parties to the case with the information Lawan has divulged”, the source, who pleaded anonymity, added.
Asked whether Lawan was in possession of the $620,000, the source said he replied that “a lot more information will be made available as the police and other agencies continu with their investigations. The truth is there.”
The source explained that because of the sensitive nature of the investigation, the committee later reasoned that it was not wise to make the inquiry public. “Lawan has information and documents; he has text messages; he has call logs and other evidence. The committee didn’t want other witnesses to take advantage of a public appearance and work on their own testimonies.
“The committee wants to throw Lawan’s claims on other witnesses to see how they will respond. In that way, some conflicting information may come to the fore. The other witnesses too will be heard in camera and will be accorded the same protection as Lawan”, the source stated.
Lawan was discharged after four hours of meeting with the panel. According to the source, the committee resolved to invite him again if the testimonies of other witnesses punctured his claims “or if there is the need to hear from him again.”
Lawan had appeared before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Thursday. The committee, which is investigating the $620,000 bribery allegation, is headed by Mr. Gambo Musa.
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Rather than ask Nigerians to forgive him for putting money inside his cap, Farouk is busy talking trash. Abeg make dem send am go jail straight.
ReplyDeleteHon. Tony
Can somebody tell this man to stop this nonsense? How come u spend the money if u intent to use it as evidence? Well it's only in Nigeria u can do this, if it was in China your story would have been diffirent.
ReplyDeleteBut if na poor man steal small change they will not even give him the chance to talk but keep him on awaiting trial for 6 years. Politicians dey mad!!! Kalu
ReplyDeleteLet see were this farouk lawan case wil land. I pity the judge that wil handle the case in court, because if the judge did not sentence farouk and otedola to jail, it means the judge collected bribe too. The international communities are watching the way the case wil end before commenting on the issue. The bribe giver and taker must go to jail, despite am farouk fans. I hate corruption with passion. God is greater than them.
ReplyDeletena true...steal or take, stealin is stealin. Nigerian judge cnt judge dis...but cn sentencd someone dat stole meager money to death without formal punishment or tract of stealin bfore. Afterall, dey wil al hav d share...so we judge dat d money ws datch...for wat reason? We dnt knw...den, why ws d name of oil coy struck out frm d list? A begi, who dey decieve who?
ReplyDeleteIf truly it was a marked money Otedola and Co, bribed Lawan and his secretary and it was confirmed that it was BRIBE, why didn't they arrest them there and then?
ReplyDeletemy fellow nija make we dey look where them want to end this matter may be this one will be the begining of revolution in this country,i can see now that the authority are now trying to play some fowl game here they want to bend this case as usual, but i promise them we the occupied nigerians are waiting to see the out come, be action will be taking, the law of this country is only for the comon man, people who steal 50,000 the will sentence them to death and people who steal billions of dollars will going up and down in the street not even one day in the prison, we will be looking how they will do it, ............................... soj
ReplyDeletestealing na staeling no two way s to it .farouk and otedola must go to jai..
ReplyDeleteBlahblahblah...
ReplyDeletehahahahahahahahaha for sure Lawal is correct.Otedola gave him money and not bribe.The words writen on the dollar papers handed over to him by Otedola is writen by the words (MONEY)and not (BRIBE).Good enough that kirikiri is their for both of them as OBJ said that the giver and receiver are same.
ReplyDeleteyes oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
DeleteI am searching 4 name or title 2 giv 2 this 9ja movie,I guess part 1&2 has finish,this might be part 3or4.there is more 2 dis story,lawan is wasting his time denying this,explaining d diff b/w bribe & taking while fresh & latest movie indicting him is coming out,cos 4rm vanguard 2day's paper(olu abeg make u no vex)of anoda fresh $10 million of bribe he collected 4rm other oil marketers dat were also indicted,to delist dia names 4rm his probe.dis was done in US & UK wit his choice of Hotel accomodation,not even in nigeria,so let him be acting movie 4 niaja pple,wind don dey blow & farouk fowl yansh don dey open small small.
ReplyDeletehe is a harden criminal that is why his trying to paint the story well i dont blame him i blame the lawles country that there law is only for comon man and not for the rich men, for the nija so call police dey dont know there work even the so call IG that is why u will see very soon ANINI,SHINA RAMBO they will rise again to kill more police, and for the joerdge that use to sentence those that steal 50,00 naira to death, very soon they will all be partaker of this coming revolution in nija........................soj
DeleteMr. Lawan agree to this crime and plead for pardon instead of trying to fool urself thinking u can fool the nation . And for Otedola he too should be made to face the Law.they both should be dealt with accordingly like Baba said.
ReplyDeleteLet it be done as you requested
DeleteHear de bastard, he admited takin money not bribe, is he a father christmans or ur business partner or de moni dat he was ownin you? let devil punish you with dat ur monkey mouth.
ReplyDeleteEdu....
Who is foolin who here baby!?!? D investigators?, d proscuetors?, d jury?, D taker of d bribery? Or d giver? C'mon, curuption is found in evrytin dey do an is realy eatin dem up fast, baby! Ruthless theivin leaders!. B¡t¡ng Z£dd To€¥.
ReplyDelete