‘New chapter begins’, says Farouk Lawan after leaving Kuje prison

Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives, has been released from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja after serving his jail term.

In a statement he signed on Tuesday, Lawan expressed deep gratitude for his release.

“Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah. Today marks the start of a new chapter in my life as I leave Kuje Custodial Centre. I am immensely thankful to Allah SWT for guiding me through this trial,” Lawan said.

Lawan, who served as Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, was initially arraigned in 2013 after allegedly demanding a $3 million bribe from billionaire businessman Femi Otedola.

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Otedola had accused him of receiving $500,000 to influence the removal of his company’s name from the list of firms implicated in the 2012 fuel subsidy scam.

Though Lawan’s appeal claimed the prosecution failed to prove he had demanded or accepted the bribe, he was convicted on three charges brought by the federal government.

He received a five-year sentence for the first two counts and seven years for the last count, all to run concurrently.

While a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court had sentenced him to seven years, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reduced the sentence to five years, which he has now completed.