The
House of Representatives has said that it will not make further
comments on Mr. Farouk Lawan, its member at the centre of the $620,000
bribery allegation.
Lawan headed the ad-hoc committee of the
House, which conducted an investigation into the management of fuel
subsidy funds in April 2012.
The probe had uncovered how government
agencies reportedly connived with fuel importers to defraud the nation
to the tune of over N1.07tn.
But an oil businessman, Mr. Femi
Otedola, later alleged that Lawan demanded $620,000 bribe from him in
the course of the investigation to free two of his firms from the list
of indicted importers.
The Peoples Democratic Party legislator
from Kano State admitted collecting the money but claimed that he wanted
to use it as e evidence to trap Otedola, who was pressuring him with
money.
The House had reacted to the issue by
relieving Lawan of the headship of the ad-hoc committee. He was also
suspended as the substantive chairman of the Committee on Education,
from which he was later removed completely.
The House had constituted its own
separate investigation into the allegation against Lawan, aside from his
prosecution by anti-graft agencies.
Our correspondent observed on Tuesday
that 12 months after the House opened the investigation, the House
Committee on Ethics and Privileges had not produced a report.
The initial timeline given to the committee, which is headed by Mr. Gambo Musa, was 21 days.
However, the Chairman, House Committee
on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said in Abuja that the
legislature would no longer comment on the matter.
Mohammed was reacting to a question from The PUNCH on why the report of the investigation had not been made public till date.
Mohammed said it would be “prejudicial” to continue to comment on a case that was before a law court.
Incidentally, the deadline given to the
Musa committee to submit its report had long expired before the
Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission
filed charges against Lawan before an Abuja Federal High Court.
But Mohammed insisted, “As far as the House is concerned, the matter is in court.
“We do not want to be in contempt of the court by continuing to comment on that case.”
Mohammed noted that the position of the House did not suggest that it was shielding Lawan.
He recalled that the same House did not
only relieve the lawmaker of his committee responsibilities but also
called on security agencies to prosecute him, if he was found wanting.
PUNCH
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