Embattled lawmaker, Farouk Lawan, has finally promised to
surrender the $500,000 bribe to the Special Task Force before the end of the
week following serious psychological and physical pressures mounted on him by
investigators.
It was learnt that Lawan succumbed to
the pressure mounted him by the STF Commissioner of Police, Ali Ahmodu, on
Wednesday and agreed to bring the money which he was said to have received from
Femi Otedola on April 24, 2012.
He was said to have told
investigators that he would only surrender the money before witnesses which
would include his lawyers, Mike Ozhekome (SAN) and Israel Olorundare.
Boniface Emenalo had been asked to
report on Friday, but it could not be ascertained if he would surrender his
share of the bribe on that day.
Sources told our correspondent that
Lawan cracked when he was confronted with the letter from the Chairman,
Committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Adams Jagaba, who denied knowledge
of the money.
“When subjected to intense pressure
by CP Ahmadu, Lawan finally cracked and said he was tired of the drama and
stories surrounding the matter. In an agitated tone, he said he will bring the
money before weekend on the condition that there would be witnesses there: this
is the breakthrough investigators needed to conclude the case,” a source said.
Jagaba, had in a letter to the
Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday denied that he was in possession of the
money.
He stated, “I wish to categorically
and unequivocally state that there was never a time I was in possession of the
sum of $620,000 or any other exhibit (in my personal capacity or official
capacity as Chairman, House Committee on Drugs/Narcotics and Financial
Crimes).”
Lawan had last week claimed that he
had handed over the money to Jagaba.
Our correspondents could not reach
Lawan on Wednesday as he did not pick calls made to his telephone sets.