February 06, (THEWILL) – The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 gubernatorial election, in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, was on Tuesday, arraigned before an Ogun State High Court, in Abeokuta, on a seven-count charge, bordering on money laundering and other offences.
THEWILL reports that the Federal Government accuses Adebutu and others of criminal inducement during the poll.
He was alleged to have ordered through his bank the issuance of 200,000 preloaded ATM Verve cards with N10,000 and distributed the same on the day of the election across the state with the criminal intention of inducing voters in the state.
While all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charges preferred against them, their lead counsel, Chief Gordy Uche, pleaded with the court to allow the 2nd, 5th and 10th defendants to continue to enjoy bail on earlier terms.
He also prayed the court to grant the first defendant Adebutu, bail on self-recognisance, saying he came to the court on his volition.
While the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, opposed the plea of self-recognition, the presiding judge, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, granted the 1st defendant bail in the sum of N1 million, with a surety in the same sum who may be a family member or bondsman.
The case has been adjourned until February 7, 2024, for a hearing.
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