Farouk Lawan still trying to find His $620,000 bribe

EMBATTLED House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, on Monday, failed to produce the $620,000 bribe allegedly offered to him and the erstwhile secretary of the fuel subsidy regime probe panel, Boniface Emenalo, by Zenon Oil chairman, Femi Otedola.

However, in compliance with one of his core conditions for bail, Lawan reported to the investigators at about 12 noon and walked out at about 1.25 p.m.

Informed sources at the Force Headquarters disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that the embattled House of Representatives member pleaded with the investigators to give him more time to gather the money in question.

Lawan, who dressed in a brown caftan, was accompanied by one of his aides to the Force Headquarters.

Lawan’s statement to the police said that when he collected the money from Otedola, knowing that it was a set-up, he gave the money to the House Committee on Financial Crimes to keep it in safe custody.

Nigerian Tribune also gathered authoritatively that the House Committee Chairman on Financial Crimes may be invited by detectives on the whereabouts of the money, when the House reconvenes today.

The source disclosed that it would be difficult to retrieve the money since Lawan already knew that the money in question would be used as exhibit to prosecute him.

However, Force spokesman, Frank Mba, told the Nigerian Tribune that in compliance with one of the conditions for bail, Lawan reported as directed and was allowed to go home.

According to him, that in itself was an indication that investigations were still ongoing and, indeed, they were still investigating.

On why Lawan did not produce the $620,000 as directed, the spokesman simply said “the matter is still ongoing.”

He appealed to the media to avoid speculative and sensational reportage of the matter, so as not to jeopardise investigations into the whole saga.

The force spokesman added that at the moment, they had done a preliminary investigation into the matter and the report submitted to the Inspector General of Police, adding that at the appropriate time, when the comprehensive report was ready, Nigerians would be informed of the outcome.

“At the moment, we are trying to avoid acting on comments that will jeopardise our investigations,” he said.