Ladi Adebutu, the People’s Democratic Party candidate for governor of Ogun State in 2023, was charged by the Federal Government on Monday in absentia with alleged vote-buying.
Adebutu was accompanied by five other people as they appeared before the Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta.
The All Progressives Congress petitioned the Inspector General of Police about the accusation through Yemi Sanusi, the party’s Ogun State Chairman.
According to reports, the State Criminal Investigations Department Eleweran, Abeokuta, looked into the accusation.
Adebutu was being prosecuted on a four-count charge, including 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 solicitation contrary to Section 121 of the Electoral Act, 2022, according to the charge sheet of the case with no AB/10C/2003 filed at the high court and dated June 2, 2023. Other defendants included Messrs. O
According to the particulars of the offence, 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’ in order to induce voters to endeavour the return of PDP candidates during the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections in Ogun State.”
200,000 prepaid verve cards filled with N10,000 apiece and with the same name were provided by Adebutu, it was further alleged, “for the purpose of corruptly influencing voters to vote for PDP candidates” during the aforementioned elections.
Adebutu was not present during the Monday proceeding, but the other five defendants—Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyi Waleed, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adejoke, and Malik—were.
They all entered not guilty pleas to each of the four charges, and their attorney Muyiwa Obanewa then petitioned the court to release the defendants on bond.
The accused were then granted bail in the amount of N100,000 with one surety per accused person, who must be a bondsman or a family of the defendants and present proof of tax payment, according to Justice Abiodun Akinyemi.
The matter was postponed by the court until September 26, 2023, for a scheduled hearing.