The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, and nine others have been arraigned before the State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta for vote buying.
When the case came up before Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, Adebutu remained large while the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 10th Defendants appeared for trial.
Those who appeared for trial were Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyi Waleed, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adejoke, and Malik Badmus.
They pleaded not guilty to all the four counts charges leveled against them.
Subsequently, their counsel Muyiwa Obanewa urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.
The prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, while noting that Ladi Adebutu is still on the run said he was not opposed to the granting of bail to the defendants.
Justice Akinyemi subsequently admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100,000 and one surety each who shall be either bondsmen or relatives of the defendants with evidence of payment of tax.
The court after that adjourned the case till September 26, 2023, for a definite hearing.
According to the charge sheet of the case with no AB/10C/2003, dated June 2, 2023, Adebutu, along with Messers Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adegoke, Dare Lukman Ogunleye, Dayo Fasina, Wasiu Enilolobo, and Malik Badmus, were being prosecuted 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.
Adebutu and the co-accused “on or about 18th of March 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’ to induce voters to endeavor 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 “to corruptly influence voters to vote for PDP candidates” during the said elections.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, through its Ogun State Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi, had written a petition to the Inspector General of Police over the vote-buying allegation, which was investigated by the State Criminal Investigations Department Eleweran, Abeokuta.
Upon 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 sitting.
