Nigeria’s apex court, the Supreme Court has affirmed the Court of Appeal decision slamming a five-year jail term handed to F former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan.

A High Court had convicted and sentenced Lawal in 2021 for accepting $500,000 bribe from businessman, Femi Otedola, Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd. The judgement was then affirmed by a Court of Appeal in 2022.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgement on Friday, January 26, 2024 affirmed the Court of Appeal ruling upholding Lawan’s sentencing to five years in respect of only count three on the three-count charge on which he was tried at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The apex court in a lead judgment prepared by Justice John Okoro but read on Friday by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, declared that Lawan’s appeal was without merit and proceeded to dismiss it.