Alleged $620,000 bribe: Farouk Lawan, Emenalo re-arraigned

• To remain on old bail
Former chairman, House of Repre­sentatives  Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Farouk Lawan and its ex-secretary, Boni­face Emenalo were yester­day re-arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Gudu, Abuja.
The seven-count charge against them bordered on receiving of bribe and abuse of office.
This include the  allega­tion that they received $620, 000 as bribe from the Chair­man,  Zenon Oil and Gas, Femi Otedola, to exclude the names of Otedola’s com­ panies-Zenon Petroleum and Gas as well as Synopsis Enterprises Limited, from the list of companies found to have allegedly defrauded the Federal Government of billions of naira.
The lawmakers were ear­lier arraigned on the same charge before Justice Mu­dashiru Oniyangi formerly of the FCT High Court, Abuja before his elevation to the Court of Appeal some months ago.
Justice Oniyangi’s eleva­tion informed the transfer of the case to a new judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, before who the accused per­sons took their fresh pleas yesterday.
When the case was called, lead prosecution lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) informed the court that the business of the day was for the accused persons to plead to the charge afresh.
When asked by the judge if there was any application pending at the Court of Ap­peal in relation to the case, he said no, a position the lead defence lawyer, O. Jo­laawo also confirmed.
Upon listening to the charge read to them by an official of the court, Lawan and Emenalo pleaded not guilty.
Jolaawo later applied to the court to allow the ac­cused persons continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them by the former trial judge. The prosecution lawyer did not object to the application that the accused persons be allowed to re­main on the earlier bail.
The judge, however, in­sisted on sighting the three men, who stood surety for the accused persons before the earlier bail was granted, to know if they were willing to remain sureties. The case was stood down on that note to allow the sureties, who were not in court, to physi­cally appear in court.
About an hour later, the proceedings resumed fol­lowing the arrival of the three sureties in court. Jus­tice Banjoko asked them if they were willing to remain sureties for the accused, to which they chorused yes.
Ruling, the judge or­dered Lawan and Emenalo to remain on the earlier bail granted by Justice Oniyangi and adjourned to July 7 for further hearing.

Biafra Galaxy