Subsidy Bribery Scandal: Farouk Lawan Completes 5-Year Jail Term, Regains Freedom

A former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan is a free man again after serving his prison sentence for accepting a $500,000 bribe during a legislative probe into the controversial fuel subsidy regime in 2012.

Lawan was released from Kuje Prison on Tuesday upon the completion of his five years jailterm.

The former House of Representatives member who served as the chairman of the House ad-hoc committee investigating the fuel subsidy fraud, was convicted in June 2021 by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.

The court found him culpable for demanding $3 million and receiving $500,000 from billionaire oil mogul Femi Otedola to remove Zenon Oil and Gas, Otedola’s company, from a list of firms indicted for subsidy fraud.

The bribery scandal emerged during a national probe into the massive mismanagement and corruption surrounding the fuel subsidy program. Lawan’s case became a symbol of high-level corruption within the government.

In his conviction, Lawan was initially sentenced to seven years in prison. However, a Court of Appeal ruling in February 2022 upheld his conviction but reduced the sentence to five years, acquitting him on two of the three counts brought against him.

The Supreme Court, in January 2024, affirmed the decision of the lower courts, sealing Lawan’s fate and dismissing his final appeal.

Upon his release on Tuesday, Lawan issued a press statement expressing gratitude to God and to those who supported him during his incarceration. The statement, titled “I Thank the Almighty Allah reads:

“Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life as I step out of Kuje Custodial Center, with a heart full of gratitude to Allah SWT for seeing me through this trial. My gratitude is deep; I’m alive and in good health and high spirits to be with my family, friends, and associates. I don’t take that for granted. I remain grateful and indebted to my family and friends who stood by me through this particularly trying phase of my life. May Allah SWT bless you all,”