FG Arraigns Adebutu, Others For Vote Buying

The Federal Government on Monday arraigned the Ogun State governorship candidate on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 election, Ladi Adebutu and nine others before an Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta, for vote buying.

Adebutu, who was charged in absentia, left the country in April this year.

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.

The case was initially adjourned till Monday, 10th of July 2023, by Justice Abiodun Akinyemi due to the inability of the court’s process servers to serve Adebutu and his co-defendants with the information sheet.

However, as at the time the matter was called on Monday, Ladi Adebutu remained at large, while the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 10th Defendants in persons of Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyi Waleed, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adejoke and Malik were present.

They pleaded not guilty to all the four counts charges preferred against them and their counsel Muyiwa Obanewa subsequently urged the court to grant them bail.

The prosecuting Counsel, Rotimi Jacobs 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, therefore, adjourned the case till the 26th of September 2023 for a definite hearing.