Justice Angela Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo on Thursday ordered a former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, to enter his defence over $500,000 bribery charges against him.
The court overruled Lawan’s no-case submission made through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome.
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Justice Otaluka held that the evidence before the court showed that the prosecution had made a case sufficient enough for the defendant to make some explanations.
The case was adjourned until November 11 for the defendant to open defence.
Mr Ozekhome had on October 10 filed the submission at the continued hearing of the bribery allegation against Lawan.
The senior lawyer said that the prosecution failed to solidly establish the defendant’s intent to commit the offence he was charged with.
He stated that the prosecution’s witnesses gave conflicting statements about the amount Lawan was alleged to have collected as bribe.
Ozekhome also said that the video evidence the prosecution presented was blurred and could not prove that the content of the envelope that businessman, Femi Otedola, gave Lawan was money.
He stated that the failure of the Department of State Service (DSS) to arrest Lawan immediately was enough evidence that they had no proof.
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Lawan is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for allegedly collecting $500,000 which was said to be part of a $3 million bribe.
The money was said to have been requested to facilitate the removal of Otedola’s company from the list of firms indicted by the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy in 2012.
