Subsidy Scandal: Femi Otedola bribed Farouk Lawan to remove Zenon from fraud list.

Following the ongoing trial of former member, House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan which started in 2016, business mogul, Femi Otedola confessed on Wednesday, 21st November of giving $500,000 bribe.


Femi Otedola in an an Abuja High Court on Wednesday, said that Farouk Lawan collected $500,000 as bribe to exonerate his company, Zenon Oli and Gas from the fuel subsidy fraud list.

Lawan was accused to have pressured Otedola to part with a $3 million bribe while he (Lawan) was chairing a subcommittee investigating a multi-billion dollar fraud associated with government fuel subsidy during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. At the resumed trial yesterday, the Prosecution counsel, Chief Adegoyega Ademolo, (SAN) had called Otedola as his main witness.

The prosecution had played a video where Lawan was seen receiving $500, 000 from Otedola. The witness however during examination explained how the said bribe was collected.

Zenon Oil and Gas was indicted in subsidy fraud allegedly by Lawan, as been the chairman, he allegedly took advantage of it demanding $3 million to exonerate Otedola. He (Otedola) allegedly deposited $500,000 as initial payment and that was how Zenon Oil and Gas was free of the initial indictment.

“After the early hours of 24th April 2012: (the time the money was paid) he left and removed the name of Zenon from the list of indicted companies.”

“He did demand. And if he did not demand, why will he collect and expect a balance of $2.5 million? He mentioned to me that the $3 million will be shared by himself and some other members of the House “Moreover, the company in question was not involved in the importation of premium motor spirit (PMS) and as such never applied to withdraw from the petroleum fund.” The witness also denied the allegation by Lawan that he (Otedola) offered to pay the money so that his name would be removed from the list of indicted companies.

“I did not offer any $3 million, because I was one of the biggest players in the business. And I reported the matter initially when I found out about the scam. And he mentioned to me that several companies that were involved in the scam were paying. And I reported to the SSS.”

When asked by the prosecution counsel about the claim by Lawan that the witness forced him to take the money, Otedola denied it saying, “I could not have put pressure on him because Zenon Oil was not involved in the theft of the subsidy fund.

“He did demand. And if he did not demand, why will he collect and expect a balance of $2.5m? He mentioned to me that the $3m will be shared by himself and some other members of the House.”

“The company in question was not involved in the importation of petroleum motor spirit (PMS) and as such never applied to withdraw from the petroleum fund.

The case was adjourned till Monday, January 28th, 2019 by presiding judge, Angela Otaluka as requested by the defence counsel.

Meanwhile, Femi Otedola endorsed the Lagos State governorship candidate of the APC, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for governor.

He made this in a post on his official Instagram handle on Saturday, 17th November. Otedola described Sanwo-Olu as his childhood friend and the incoming Governor of Lagos State.

He wrote, “Dinner at my residence yesterday evening, with my childhood friend, the APC governorship candidate, Jide Sanwo- Olu, governor in waiting.”

Otedola was rumored to have emerged the PDP Governoship candidate around September-October but no official statement to back it up, this is assumed the answer as Jimi Agbaje in now the flag bearer,




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