…As Court Adjourns Till 26 September 2023 For Hearing
The Federal Government on Monday arraigned the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and nine others before an Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta for vote buying.
Adebutu, who was charged in absentia, has been on the run from law.
Recall that Adebutu, several weeks ago, sneaked out of the country, following allegations of electoral malpractices and money laundering, preferred against him and his party by the Federal Government.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, through its Ogun State Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi, had written a petition to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, against Adebutu, alleging vote buying, which was investigated by the State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, Eleweran, Abeokuta.
Upon the conclusion of investigations, the Federal Government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, filed criminal charges against Adebutu and his co-defendants at the High Court.
When the case came up before Hon. Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, sitting in Court 4, it was adjourned till the 10th of July 2023, due to the inability to serve the defendants the court processes.
However, as at the time the matter was called on Monday, Adebutu remained at large, while the second to fifth and 10th defendants in persons of Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyi Waleed, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adejoke and Malik respectively, were present.
They pleaded not guilty to all the four counts, and their counsel, Muyiwa Obanewa, subsequently urged the court to grant bail to the defendants.
The prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs, while noting that Adebutu is still on the run, said that he was not opposed to the granting of bail to the defendants.
Subsequently, Justice Akinyemi admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100,000 and one surety each, in like sum, who shall be either bondsmen or relatives of the defendants with evidence of payment of tax.
The court adjourned the case till 26th of September, 2023 for definite hearing.
The charge sheet of the case, with no AB/10C/2003, filed at the high court and dated June 2, 2023, charged Adebutu, along with Messers Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adegoke, Hon. Dare Lukman Ogunleye, Dayo Fasina, Wasiu Enilolobo and Malik Badmus, on a four-count charge, namely: one count of criminal conspiracy, contrary to Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022; bribery, contrary to Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and two counts of undue influence, contrary to section 127 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The particulars of the offence stated that Adebutu and his co-accused “on or about 18th of March, 2023, at Ibara, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire among yourselves to corruptly give gifts in form of verve prepaid cards, which had inscribed on them ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme for Less Privileged’ in order to induce voters to endeavour the return of PDP candidates during the gubernatorial and state Assembly elections in Ogun State.”
Adebutu was further accused of providing 200,000 prepaid verve cards, loaded with N10,000 each and inscribed with the same name “for the purpose of corruptly influencing voters to vote for PDP candidates” during the said elections.
