The police in Ogun State have arraigned the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Oladipupo Adebutu, in the State High Court located in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
Adebutu alongside five others appeared before Justice Abiodun Akinyemi over seven-count charge bordering on vote buying and other offences in a case number AB/10c/2023 (FRN Vs Adebutu &Ors)
Adebutu, during the governorship election held on March 18, 2023, was accused of inducement during the poll by security agents alongside other members of his party.
He was accused of ordering the distribution of 200,000 preloaded ATM verve cards worth N10,000 through his bank and distributing them around the state on election day with the stated goal of influencing votes.
Adebutu and six other persons were eventually accused in court by the police, but he was alleged to have left the nation for medical treatment and returned in December 2023.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs SAN, earlier in his submission orally withdrew the prior charges supplied, and substituted the same with amended charges, without any objection from the lead counsel for the defendants, Gordy Uche SAN.
Uche argued with the court to allow the accused to continue receiving bail on previous conditions.
He then asked the court to grant the first defendant, Adebutu, bail on self-recognition, claiming he came to court of his own will.
However, the prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs SAN, challenged his petition that the PDP governorship candidate be given release on self-recognition, noting that while he has no objections to the bail prayer, he disagrees with the self-recognition provision.
As a result, the presiding judge, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, granted the first defendant, bail in the amount of N1 million with a guarantee in the same amount, who might be a family member or a bondsman.
The case has been adjourned to Wednesday, February 7, 2024, for hearing.
