Follow @9jaLife The suspended Chairman of the House Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, Mallam Farouk Lawan, yesterday asked the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), to ignore threats from a lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, to prosecute him over alleged $620,000 bribe. He queried Keyamo for allegedly leaving out a businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola, who admitted offering the bribe through a sting operation. He said if Keyamo is adamant, he would meet the Lagos lawyer in court. The Police investigated the alleged $620,000 bribery, questioning Lawan, Otedola and the Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Boniface Emenalo. Last year, the government appointed a prosecutor, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to look at the report of police investigation and file charges as may be appropriate. But Awomolo, last December, raised some issues which required additional investigation by the police. The decision of the prosecutor is being awaited, but Keyamo has threatened to take legal steps to compel the AGF to prosecute Lawan. In a reaction, the House member, who spoke through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), described Keyamo's ultimatum to the AGF as empty. He said Keyamo cannot question the authority of the AGF on who to prosecute or not. He said: "The ultimatum of Keyamo both to the police and the AGF is vacuous, empty, vainglorious, grandstanding and it constitutes legal hara-kiri. He cannot even succeed with order of mandamus to compel the AGF to prosecute any person. The case of Gani Fawehinmi v. Akilu was cited out of context. At that time, I was the deputy of chambers at Gani's law firm. "Under Section 174 sub-section 1 of the 1999 Constitution, the AGF has the sole prerogative and responsibility to be questioned by none, being lord and master unto himself in this regard. "The AGF has the power to " institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court of law in Nigeria other than a court martial in respect of any offence created by or under any Act of the National Assembly or to take over and continue any such criminal proceedings that may have been instituted by any other authority or person and to continue at any stage [...]
