In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has affirmed the five-year prison sentence imposed on Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives, for his involvement in a bribery scandal.
The Court of Appeal had previously convicted Lawan in 2021 after he was found guilty of accepting a bribe amounting to $500,000 from Femi Otedola, the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited.
Lawan had lodged an appeal seeking to overturn the February 24, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja. However, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, dismissed Lawan’s appeal, stating that it lacked merit.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar, delivering the lead judgment, firmly upheld the 2022 verdict of the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court confirmed Lawan’s five-year prison sentence specifically concerning count three of the three-count charge brought against him by the Federal Government. Notably, Lawan was acquitted of two out of the three counts on the corruption charge.
The five-member panel of the Supreme Court, in alignment with the Court of Appeal’s decision, concluded that Lawan’s appeal lacked substance and subsequently dismissed it. This ruling by the highest court in the land marks the final legal recourse for Farouk Lawan, cementing the five-year jail term handed down by the Court of Appeal.
The case has drawn considerable attention due to its implications for combating corruption and upholding the rule of law. The Supreme Court’s unwavering support for the lower court’s judgment sends a strong message about the judiciary’s commitment to maintaining integrity and accountability within the nation’s political landscape.