BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI
ABUJA—The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, yesterday, re-arraigned the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on fuel subsidy probe, Farouk Lawan on a seven-count criminal charge.
Lawal, alongside the erstwhile Secretary of the probe committee, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, entered fresh plea to the charge which was preferred against them before an Abuja High Court sitting at Gudu.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers, yesterday, narrowly escaped being remanded in prison custody by the high court.
Shortly after they took turns and pleaded “not guilty” to the charges against them which bordered on conspiracy, corruption and gross breach of public trust, it was discovered that two of the persons that earlier stood surety for them were not present in court.
Consequently, trial Justice Adebukola Banjoko insisted that the accused persons must produce all the three men that previously stood as their sureties.
The court stressed that the three sureties must be physically present to sign a fresh undertaking for the two accused lawmakers, failure of which they would be remanded in Kuje prison.
Sequel to the development, the case was stood down for over two hours, after which the accused persons secured bail upon perfecting all the conditions initially handed to them by the former trial Judge in the matter, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi.
Their arraignment yesterday followed the elevation of Justice Oniyangi to the position of Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory.
Vanguard