BUSINESSMAN Femi Otedola yesterday told a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, that former Chairman, Sub-committee of the House of Representatives Farouk Lawan demanded $3 million bribe from his company.
He spoke as a prosecution witness in Lawan’s trial before Justice Angela Otaluka.
Lawan, a former lawmaker, is facing trial for allegedly demanding a bribe from Otedola, the founder of Zenon Oil and Gas, when he (Lawan) chaired the committee that investigated a multi-billion fraud associated with fuel subsidy during former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
He was re-arraigned in December 2016 by the Federal Government for the alleged offence.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, prosecution counsel Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) played a video, in which Lawan was seeing receiving $500,000 from Otedola.
Otedola, who testified in the witness box and led in evidence by Awomolo, later addressed the court on the events narrated in the video.
The businessman said the accused had indicted his company and demanded a $3 million as bribe to exonerate the firm.
The witness added that after the initial deposit of $500,000 was payed into his account, Lawan declared Zenon Oil and Gas free of the initial indictment.
Otedola said: “After the early hours of April 24, 2012 (the time the money was paid), he left and removed the name of Zenon Oil from the list of indicted companies.”
But when he was asked by Awomolo about a claim by Lawan that he was pressed to take the money from him without actually demanding for same, Otedola said: “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 $2.5 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 petroleum motor spirit (PMS) and as such, never applied to withdraw from the petroleum fund.”
The witness denied an allegation by Lawan that he 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 State Security Service (SSS),” Otedola said.
He refuted a claim by Lawan that Zenon Oil and Gas was exonerated on the bases of documents later provided by the company.
“It was the money because during the course of the sitting of the subcommittee, we had submitted all the documents,” the businessman insisted.
Otedola said his report to security operatives on the matter prompted investigations into the allegations by the police, who invited him for questioning after which his statement was taken.
After the prosecution was done with its witness, defence counsel Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) prayed the court for an adjournment to allow his principal attend the next trial and be cross-examination.
Justice Otaluka adjourned the matter to January 28 for the defence to conclude the cross-examination.
