Faruok Lawan released, home ransacked, Diplomatic passport seized
- Details
- Category: REPORTS
- Saturday, 16 June 2012
- By Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel
Embattled former Chairman of the House of Representative ad hoc-committee on the review of the fuel subsidy regime, Hon. Farouk Lawan was this afternoon granted "administrative bail" after over 24hours in Police detention on the allegation of the collecting a bribe of $650,000 from Nigerian multi-billionaire and Chairman of Zenon Oil,
Chief Femi Otedola.
Sources in Louis Edet House confided in Elombah.com that Hon. Lawan was freed exactly 4:00 PM Nigerian time after taking a handwritten undertaking to produce the marked hard currencies allegedly given to him by Otedola, and upon indemnification by a reputable Nigerian. The source also revealed that the Lawmaker was accorded due respect throughout his stay in Police detention.
However, detectives from Force Headquaters Abuja, yesterday ransacked the official residence of Hon. Faruok Lawan at the Apo Legislative quarters, Abuja, seizing his Diplomatic Passport, some wads of hard currency amounting to $10,000 and other documents in the process.
But the Lawmaker have maintained that the seized dollars were not part of the controversial sums offered him by Otedola but monies he brought from one of his numerous trips abroad, stating that the money was not marked.
The detectives who did not take the Lawmaker along with them in the operation also prevented his Attorney from witnessing the exercise except his wife and kids who sobbed as the Police turned their apartment upside down.
The Police who also took away his Diplomatic Passports however did not disclose the other items found in the operation.
Similarly, the home of Lawan’s former clerk, Mr. Boniface Emenalo was also not left out.
Police source who spoke to this Reporter on the condition of anonymity said the entire Police Force was thrown into confusion at the large amount of dollars discovered in the Clerk's house. He further revealed that the stringent bail condition handed the clerk was occasioned by the astonishing sum unearthed in his house during the search.
