$620,000 Bribery Trial: Judge Withdraws From Lawal's Case

The former Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, Mr. Farouk Lawan and the committee’s secretary Boniface Emenalo might have walked free from their trial.

ThisDay on Tuesday reports that Justice Adebukola Banjoko of an Abuja High Court sitting in Guru District has withdrawn from the $620,000 bribe case slammed against Lawan and Emenalo.

Farouk Lawan

It would be recalled that the duo are standing trial for allegedly collecting the sum of $620,000 bribe from oil magnet, Femi Otedola, in order to remove the names of his companies from those who allegedly defrauded the country under the fuel subsidy regime.
Justice Banjoko, who is the second judge to have handled the case, after withdrawing from the case reportedly, returned the case file to the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Bukar for re-assignment.


The case was passed to Justice Banjoko, after Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi who was initially handling it was promoted to the Court of Appeal.

Justice Banjoko in her short ruling hinted that though the application directing her to disqualify her had been withdrawn and the chief judge had cleared her of the allegation in Lawan’s petition against her, she insisted that the allegation was a scandalous challenge to her integrity.

“In my 17 years on the bench – six years and as a magistrate and 11 years as a judge – I have never been confronted with a scandalous challenge of my integrity,” She said.

Meanwhile, defence counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) who had filed the application dated October 29, asking the judge to quit the case, had also applied to withdraw the application. Besides the initial application, Lawan also personally petitioned the FCT Chief Judge, alleging bias in handling of the trial on the ground that Justice Banjoko has a close relationship the Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, Otedola.

But Ozekhome had refuted any knowledge of the said petition written by Lawan, adding he withdrew his petition and also urged the judge to overlook the wrong impression, which the application and his client’s petition might have caused her.

However, the prosecutor, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), who also apologised on behalf of the accused person and his counsel pleaded with the judge to continue with the case, but Justice Banjoko refused to accept their request. She also denied being close to Otedola.

She said since the accused person had first shown doubts in the trial, she can no longer continue with such case saying; “Justice is rooted in confidence. In the prevailing circumstances, I do find it difficult to continue this case. This case is returned to the honourable Chief Judge for re-assignment.”


It would be recalled that on October 24, 2013, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, assured that the court will not stop Lawal and Emenalo’s trial.